Punishment And Justice
by vampiric.goth.babe
Summary: Hi! This is my second posted story and I hope you enjoy! Set as a prologue to the events of GTAV a detailing of Grace's past and how she met her first love, fell into the crew that eventually led to her downfall and how the most unlikely of them seemed to love her back. Trevor is left furious as she flees and resurfaces all those years later... (Un-beta'd may be spelling errors)
1. North Yankton

Chapter One

North Yankton

I was born on the 5th June 1978 to the name Gracelyn Hope Colins. I opened my innocent little eyes to the world, oceanic turquoise surrounded by little flicks of fiery chestnut as I scanned the room around me, unaware of the nightmare I had truly been born into. My eyes met with dulled grey-blue eyes that glared back at me resentfully. "Can we go yet? She's had the fucking brat- store closes in an hour."

A gruff voice echoed out, the burly man rising from his seat and fixing me a spiteful glare. That man was my 'father' Frank Albert Colins, and the dull eyes belonged to Jade Prudence Colins, my mother. Born to an alcoholic and a hooker, perfect parents. My eyes clocked onto him, his bright chestnut hair and pale green eyes the most striking thing about him, apart from the dark circles around his eye sockets.

My mother, Jade, had me cradled loosely in her arms, dyed blonde hair limply hanging around her face, her skin greyish and her eyes sunken. "Isn't she cute? She is yours after all! Look at that hair colour!" His stiff grunt served only to put her in a sour mood as a few more people entered the room, a girl no older than 8 running in first and jumping at the bed. "Can I see it?! Can I see it?!" The big blue eyes staring back at me were full of childish innocence, topped only by the brunette hair tugged into pigtails.

"Amanda! Stop it!" a brunette walked in, sharing some facial similarities as my mother, presumably her sister. Julia. The little one jumped up on the bed and closed her face in close to my own, our nose lightly brushing as she smiled at me. "She's so cute!" I wriggled in my mothers arms and tried to absorb all the images around me. "Fuck sake, it's a fucking brat, can we go now, the store closes in half an hour, I want to grab a crate before tomorrow."

My room was simple, a hand me down cot from Julia and a powder pink room decorated with little stuffed toys, again worn out hand me downs and family heirlooms. "Now, now, Gracie, when you grow up, you'll be just like mommy and you'll help keep mommy and daddy happy forever okay?" I was admitted to hospital a number of times as a toddler with excuses like 'oh she tripped up on herself', 'oh she fell on the stairs', 'oh she fell off the slide' and on and on, they were terrible parents and no one could see it.

I got used to the smell of smoke from a young age, from tobacco to cannabis the intoxicating smell always invaded my lungs, after getting seriously ill, I spent weeks in hospital, no one stayed by me, just the nurses and doctors. I learnt to crawl away from the smells after that, and after the first time I fell down the stairs I learnt that the stairs were something to fear, my eyes curiously studied the world around me, cigarette ash and shards of broken glass a normal thing in the household.

I learnt not to cry much too I wasn't allowed to do that, it made daddy angry but when I was ill it couldn't be helped. Frankie shook me hard as he could when I released another strangled scream, my red cheeks covered in a light sweat from a high temperature. Thus the hand that struck me increased the screaming tenfold, he threw me down into my chair and pointed across at Jade taking up another beer in his hand.

"Fucking shut the brat up!" the small pink puff sitting in the cradle-chair had pinkish cheeks and sign of a fever as I screamed my little lungs out in pain, Jade stood from her place and stumbled over to me shoving an unsterilized dummy in my mouth, one that had been laying on the cigarette ash covered carpet, no wonder I was screaming.

Lots of needles followed that little incident but they made me feel better in the long run, I was healthier and dealing with illnesses was better, no more internal pain for Gracey! Walking was a great accomplishment and with my knowledge of where NOT to go it was fairly incident-less, apart from when I accidentally ate paint, that wasn't so fun.

My first day of pre-school was almost agonising, none of the children would play with me like I carried a sign saying 'do not approach', the teacher sat with me at lunchtime whilst I drank my juice and ate my biscuits helping me complete a cute puzzle of a puppy, he seemed to care. Julia had to come and get me from nursery for that week since mom was 'busy' they didn't have to act like I didn't know what that meant.

Julia bought me this pretty pink parka for my birthday, it dwarfed me but it was warm, prefect for keeping out the bite of cold from Ludendorff's snow. She always made comments like 'Little Gracey dressed as a pink puff!' Whenever she dropped me off at nursery she became concerned at my apparent attachment to Tommy the helper that had shown me so much kindness.

She told my dad about it and he got Tommy fired and arrested accused him of being a paedophile. It taught me not to trust anyone in this world, from there on out mom and dad had made me dress in thick clothing, covering the masses of marred skin to protect their integrity, I thought social workers could help at the school but the small bruises were brushed aside as 'accidents' even Julia didn't know, really you can trust no one.

Jade smiled down at the little pink puff and moved back to her chair taking another inhale from her cigarette, wallowing in the self induced high. "Jade, wake the fuck up bitch, I need more beer." Jade's face stayed one of absolute bliss, even when her eyes glazed over and she stopped responding, we rushed to the hospital that night and we almost lost her.

"Mrs Colins?" The drug addled Jade, looked up with cloudy eyes scanning the nurse as she leant at her bedside. "You almost died of an overdose, you're at Ludendorff central and we're keeping you under observation, okay? Now, can you follow my finger? ..." Jades eyes focused on the man hovering outside the window, a small pink puff cradled on his shoulder as he watched his wife.

The large handprint etched into my skin was hidden well under the puffy pink parka wrapped around my body, the fluff of my hood framing my pinkish cheeks and rosy nose. "Fucking stupid bitch." Frankie rocked my sleeping form, a sleeping puff careful not to wake me as he turned from the drag addled mess in favour of his drink, his best friend, a bottle of classic pisswasser.

"Sir you're not allowed to drink in here, you'll have to take that outside." He grunted and shoved my little body into her arms as he stalked off outside. "Now, now, little one lets go settle you somewhere whilst we take care of your mommy ok?" I nestled into her arms, and fell asleep once more just hoping for all of this to go away.

Kindergarten was brutal, I was isolated from the other children and branded anti-social because I punched a boy in the face after he didn't appreciatethe fact that I always used the same things during art projects and stabbed me in the arm with a pencil; that was a fun trip to the hospital especially when we got home. Dad accused mom of injecting me with a needle, his drunken mind hazed with paranoia.

Those years were lonely ones, no trust meant no friends, I kept to myself, taking the beatings at home and the ridicule at school, it was a horrid existence and the teachers wouldn't listen whenever I tried to explain myself, the reason I wouldn't turn up for class at lunchtime my dad would come to the school and ask where my mom was, not long after things got a lot worse.

Dad came to collect me from school on the last day of second grade and Julia was sat waiting at the house, quickly leaving once we returned as we came in mom was sprawled out on the sofa, a blank look on her face. "Julia offered me a job, I said no." He grunted back at her and headed for the fridge, collecting another beer and sitting in his chair.

"Hey sweetie, wanna see what mommy got you today?" I nodded excitedly and ran up to her. "How many you get tonight?" I sat aside wishing I could go to my room already but I still had to have dinner and a bath before I could go to bed. "6, well 8." She shrugged and dumped a small wad of cash on the table in front of me. "Now Grace, have you done your homework?" I nodded lightly. "We only had two bits this week and I already did them." She nodded and handed me a ten dollar bill.

"Julia wants to take you and Amanda out tomorrow, I said you could go since you wanted to get a new teddy right?" I nodded enthusiastically and grinned putting the money away in my bag. "Thanks mom!" She nodded and flopped back patting her inflated stomach a smile on her face. "Good girl." I was already halfway up the stairs when I heard dad let out a string of curses. "Dunno why you didn't just fucking abort the thing, we barely afford to live with that brat."

A few months later once I'd started middle school Toby was born, I was literally abducted from school by my dad, taken to hospital and notified that mom had given birth to a baby boy, named Toby. I couldn't work out if I pitied him or hated him but it all became clear the first time Frankie hit him, broke his little arm and I decided I loved my baby brother more than anything in this world, I even used my pocket money to buy him a little teddy from the charity shop in town.


	2. Bonds

Chapter two

Bonds

By the time I reached fourth grade I was walking to and home from school alone at 8 years of age, I entered the house and paused at the sight of my mom and dad having relations on the couch whilst Toby was bout to knock over a heavy speaker stand. "Toby, no!" I ran in and grabbed him quickly, watching as Frankie jumped off Jade and stalked off to get more beer. "Grace what the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Sorry mom but Toby was-" She silenced me with a swift slap to the face. "Did I fucking ask you to talk back to me?!" I stayed silent and shook my head. She nodded and grabbed Frankie's crotch as she passed him, Toby's small cries alerted me to his hunger. "Toby needs feeding... I can go and do it...?" He growled in his gruff tone and nodded.

I rushed into the kitchen and found his bottle, sterilized it properly and made up some formula using the microwave to bring it up to temperature. I remember the day they bought him home, I was 7 at the time and I'd become more of a mother to my baby brother than the rest of my family. I looked after Toby until he was 2 and the 'accident happened. I was 9 at the time and Frankie's alcohol problem was at an all time low.

I'd finished his feeding without incident, smiling warmly down at him as he burped lightly, innocent teal eyes staring back at me. "Heh, right now do I let you wander in here for a few minutes or put you straight to bed?" He made grabby hands for the door and I sighed. "Okay then." I placed him on the floor and kept an eye on him. "GRACE GET IN THE FUCKING BATH!" I jumped at the boom of Frankie's loud voice below.

"Okay dad!" I called back and looked to Toby. "Toby's crawling though!" A short growl and the loud sound of footsteps following put me on edge, the matted mop of hair appeared around the corner and he huffed. "Get in the bath. NOW." I nodded quickly and spared a glance at Toby as I rushed into the bathroom, my PJ's strewn over the rail as I ran the bath, soaking for a moment and scrubbing every inch, and washing my oddly coloured chestnut hair.

I dressed quickly and drained the bath going to check on Toby as an ominous silence that surrounded the upper floor became almost worrying. I found Frankie fast asleep in the chair in Toby's room and Toby nowhere to be found, I shook his arm gently. "Dad...where's Toby?" He sat up immediately and pushed me away harshly, stumbling to the stairs and huffing as he looked down them. "Fucking brat."

My heart was in my throat and everything crashed around me, the tears hadn't stopped since they started, the moment I spotted his mangled little body laying at the bottom of the stairs, bones bent at unnatural angles and innocent eyes open wide and glossy. I swear, nothing had hurt more than this, no broken bone, no bruise could ever compare to this. "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."

It was a small funeral; they hadn't paid out much for it. The church had offered mostly to pay and they jumped at the offer. I sat beside the stone cross long after they'd gone, looking down at the pale blue flowers on the tiny grave. The transition to High school was hard since I'd only just turned 10, I got a book from Julia for my birthday which my mom sold for dad's alcohol, and I was really starting to hate everything around me.

My first day the girls decided it would be funny to put chewing gum in my hair and hold my head in the sink as they clogged it and it over flowed, going over my school clothes and making my shirt see-through and my skirt wet. "Awww...lil freshman's wet herself!" The cackles bothered me more than the actions but I just wanted to leave. I spent the whole of lunch carefully cutting the gum out of my hair and wanted to cry at the mess left behind.

My bruises were more evident than ever so Jade and Frankie forbade me from playing sports saying I either didn't take part or I had to wear winter gym clothes. Needless to say it didn't put me in favour with any of the girls or teachers. One girl took my uniform and bag, and put them in the toilet, flushed and flooded the toilets with them, I had to spend the whole day in my kit and serve detention. It was humiliating.

I won't lie; I considered walking right up to that stuck up bitch Sarah and punching her in the face like my mom had done to me so many times. "Fucking slutty bitches, ruining my stuff." I growled to myself as I tried to retrieve my clothes from the not over flown toilets. "Fucking hell!" One of the teachers skidded as she came in, reprimanded me for flooding the toilet then realised that since it was my clothes it was less likely for me to have actually flooded the toilets. "One week of detention..." I sighed to myself.

Julia was picking me up from school regularly now, child services had recommended that I stay with Mark and Julia, sharing a bedroom with Amanda and occasionally meeting her boyfriend Michael, it wasn't a secret how Amanda was earning money on the side for her expensive clothes and flash items. I kept my mouth shut, even when my mom staggered onto school grounds in a haze between lessons harassing me for money.

Julia threw me a little party for my 11th birthday since she could tell I was miserable being at home again, I enjoyed Julia's hospitality, she was loving, kind, she cooked, she tucked me in at night, she was like a proper mother, not like my mom. I sat at the table, watched my dad guzzle all the alcohol and my mom casually slipping jewellery into her bag like it wasn't obvious.

School passed by quicker when I kept to myself, hidden away in the back of the library, always reading, always learning, it was own magical little getaway from the world, a place I could go ignored by everyone. The librarian Mrs. Keal spotted my bruises one day and tried to convince me to speak out against my parents after I told her what happened, I tried to but my mom was fucking the principal so he didn't really care.

That week was worst for me, getting beat at home, and picking chewing gum off of tables in my lunch, the bullies taking my lunch money and having no one to turn to. I was walking home from school in the pouring rain and jumped as a blue Futo pulled up beside me. "Hey Grace! What are you doing walking home in the rain?!" I jumped and peered in the window noticing Michael's familiar face looking back at me.

"O-oh... I was just going home... I had detention..." He rolled his eyes and gestured with his head. "Come on get in, I'll give you a ride home on my way to Mand's." I hesitated a moment. "Are you sure...?" He laughed lightly and leant across opening the door. "Hurry up or you'll catch a cold." I nodded and took off my bag, scooting in and closing the door, securing my seatbelt as we took off down the road.

"Who the fuck was that huh? You already spreading your legs like your mother huh?!" I jumped as a pisswasser bottle flew my way shattering against the wall beside me. "Michael! That's Amanda's boyfriend, he saw me walking home on the way to her place!" Frankie growled and turned away. "Get the fuck inside and get me a beer." I nodded and rushed past him to the kitchen retrieving a beer and quickly handing it over as he plonked down in his chair. "Go do your homework."

The end of the year came round fast and I spent a good portion of my 12th birthday alone, sitting on the tire swing in the front yard that Mark had made for me when he and Julia were visiting. "I wish I could get out of here... just run away and never come back." I sighed and went into the house a sharp needle entering my arm as Jade stumbled towards me, collapsing over my body. "DON'T STEAL MY DRUGS!" She shrieked and backhanded me across the face sending me sprawling at the foot of the stairs.

"GO TO BED!" I nodded and held my bleeding arm, wincing in pain at the sting, this was hell. Hell on earth. Maybe it was time for me to leave this world for good and join my precious Toby. I sat and poked at the wound feeling a lil light headed, pulling one of the springs out of my mattress I drug the sharp end through the bruised skin of my wrist up my arm and watching, fascinated by the amount of blood that bubbled to the surface.

I choked back a cry and allow the pain to overcome me, no need for emotions or movement, just the pain. A loud knock from downstairs woke me from my dazed state. "Grace?" it was deep but it wasn't Mark and wasn't my dad so who was it? "Grace, we got you a present!" My eyes widened. Michael and Amanda. "Shit." I wrapped my wrist quickly and pulled on a jumper taking two stairs at a time as I answered the door.

"Hi!" I smiled despite the pain and laughed at the ridiculously overwrapped pink thing in Michael's hands. "Uh this is for you." He held it out for me and I looked to Amanda who nodded excitedly. "Go ahead!" I slowly tore the wrapping open and looked at the box inside. "It's- it's a phone... a cell phone... Amanda... this must've cost you loads..." she waved me off and hugged me lightly. "I know those bullies at school give you crap but now you'll be the coolest girl in school!" I nodded, smiling lightly. "Thank you."

I kept the phone on me in case I got in trouble with Frankie and Jade or I ever needed to contact Julia, Michael or Amanda, school didn't help, the girls were bitches and the guys were even worse, finding ways to trip me up in the hall or look under my skirt, eventually I just stopped caring. "Hey Gracie, you know your moms a hooker right?!" I brushed off the calls hoping they'd just shut the fuck up but actuality of it was that I did know she was a hooker, and a druggie but I'm sure they didn't need anymore fire to add to their hateful words.

"OI COLINS, I'M TALKING TO YOU!" I froze and just looked back at them, flipping them off and carrying on my journey to the gym. Changing into my gym kit was an embarrassing experience with the other girls pointing and laughing at my scars and bruises, the burden I would forever carry. "Oi twats stop staring at me." I spat and stormed out to the gym, the loud footfalls echoing off the walls.

"Miss Colins, you're mother made a call, there's a family emergency; your father's coming to pick you up. Go get changed." I hugged and spun on my heel not failing to notice the very pleased looks on the girl's faces. As I pushed the wasted lump of a door open my jaw dropped somewhat, my clothes were in tatters on the floor and my books were torn to shreds and used to plug the sink and toilet. "You spiteful bitches..." I couldn't help but mumble under my breath, balling my fists.

I stalked out in my kit, carrying with me what I could and waited outside the school by the road watching a shit heap smog out the street as it approached, my father behind the wheel. "Get the fuck in!" The slight slur in his voice was proof enough he'd been drinking; the strong smell of alcohol was enough to confirm. "Jade's working. I'm taking you with me to-" He swerved across the road and almost into a tree.

"Dad watch it!" he growled stopped hard, the seatbelt cutting into my neck and briefly cutting off my air supply. "Watch your fucking mouth." He sped off down the road and pulled up at the house. "Get out. Now." I frowned and watched him. "What are you doing?" He glared, "Going to get a woman to fuck. Or do you wanna be on the receiving end of it this time huh? Keep your fucking nose out girl." Threats like that were why Amanda's gift meant the world to me.

The rosy pink mittens adorned upon my hands were wet with snow, the small holes allowing some chill to brush my fingers as well as pinching my cheeks poking out from my ebony furred hood of a light grey parka jacket. Ice groaned beneath my feet, its chorus carried out down the roads as cars skidded and slid across its surface, the snow glissading unmercifully as Ludendorff's inhabitants hurried to and fro, busy with their daily lives.

I nodded to cashier as I entered the store handing over a 20 as he handed me a crate of beer he knew to be for my father. "Thanks Arnie." I sighed as I started the trek home occasionally slipping on the ice from the increase in weight from the beer. "Lazy fucking slob should do his own heavy lifting." I grumbled to myself a last slip on the ice sending me flying, a few beer bottles cracked and fizzed up, spraying everywhere.

As I returned home, I shrugged off my parka and slipped off my shoes, careful to avoid the used needles and broken glass littering the floor; thank god for that tetanus shot when I was 8... I laid the casing on the table and watched as Frankie narrowed his eyes, "There's 3 gone. Where the fuck are they grace?! I gave you a twenty you fucking ungrateful brat!"

I flinched away from him and took myself off to my room, playing a little pixel game on my phone as the TV blared from downstairs. Mom was gone the whole day and the sound of smashing glass was grating on my nerves, I turned the lights out and switched my small TV on smiling as a crappy cartoon played out. The door swung open and the stench of booze rolled in, the sound of breaking glass made me spring to my feet and stare at the figure in my doorway.

"F-Frankie-?" He tightly wrapped his hand around my mouth as his breath assaulted my senses and his other hand wandered lower against me. My body was frozen stiff, the darkness of the room hiding his actions like a dirty secret. The sausage-like fingers that traced the elastic of my pj bottoms seemed to shake as they delved under the fabric and his breath became laboured as he shunted me forward towards my bed.

The shame was worse than the pain, well it wasn't. His giant paws groping at the flesh beneath my clothing, leaving bruising fingerprints in their wake as he stole something precious from me was devastating, Toby was better off out of this hell, that's what this place was. Hell. When he was done he shoved my face into the mattress practically smothering me. "You tell anyone about this and I'll kill you. Understand Gracie?" I slowly nodded and he pulled away chucking the blanket over me and leaving the room.


	3. Drugs

Chapter Three

Drugs

I called Amanda immediately and clung to my phone, I wanted out of this house, for good. She answered quickly and panted a lil. "Grace? What's up?" I choked back my tears and stuttered a lil. "I-I... c-can you come and get me? please?" She paused and a loud huff could be heard in the background. "Yeah Grace sure thing, do you need to stay at our place?" I nodded lightly. "Y-yes please..."

I packed a small bag and snuck downstairs, running to the end of the drive in time for Michael's car to come round the corner. "Hurry up and get in, I can't leave her on her own for too long, you know she's pregnant right?" I paused. "Sh-she's pregnant? W-wow congrats Michael..." I smiled lightly and he grinned lightly rolling his eyes. "Get the fuck in."

When we got there I could see why they were struggling for cash, Amanda was huge, there's no way in hell shed still be stripping at that size. I smiled and gave her a light hug, "C-can I be a pain and ask to use your shower?" she chuckled and pushed me inside. "Third door on the right." I nodded lightly and rushed inside, trying to erase every memory of that fucker touching me.

"Oh my god!" yelling was coming from down the hall then the sound of a door slamming. I sighed to myself realising that jade or Frankie must've come after me. "Grace? Are you okay?" a light tap from the door brought me round, I quickly turned off the shower and dried hopping out in fresh clothes. "Uh... I-... yeah, I'm fine." I smiled lightly up at Amanda, I didn't need to stress her and the baby out after all.

Amanda went into labour a couple of weeks later, she had a little baby girl named Tracey, I met a few strange people there, this blonde guy and this overly aggressive mustachio. "Do you want to hold her Grace?" I hesitated and nodded lightly "C-can you show me how to- so I don't hurt her?" Amanda smiled and positioned my arms so I was fully supporting Tracey's little form in my arms.

"Hi little one I'm your 2nd cousin Grace... you got an awesome mum and dad so you make sure you're always a good little girl for them okay?" I could feel tears rising so I quickly handed her to Michael and excused myself to the bathroom but diverted to outside. I stood out in the cold for a few moments taking deep breaths. The aggressive one strolled out and took a pew next to me, lighting a cigarette and sparing me a glance.

"How'd you get those?" I paused and looked at him confused then realised my wrists were showing, I gasped and quickly covered them sparing him a glance. "What's it to do with you?" He chuckled a lil and stretched out. "Nothing, not a damn thing. But, I at least thought you might wanna talk about it- that was one hell of a panic attack there." I sighed quietly and looked up at him slightly. "My dad abused me... no one could help, it helped take away the pain."

He scoffed and offered me the last drag of his cigarette. "N-no thanks I don't smoke." He laughed a lil. "Sound like you need to start." I smiled lightly and took the last drag, able to take it without coughing due to a lifetime of second hand smoke inhalation. "I'm impressed." I scoffed. "Please." He looked at the doors and back to me, "You going back in?" I bit my lip and hesitated.

"I- no I don't think so- I'll just stroll around town or something not like I haven't had to street walk before." I caught his look and quickly corrected myself. "Not like that!" He huffed and jingled his car keys in his pocket. "Come on I'll take you back to my place, Mike's parents just pulled up, move- MOVE!" I jumped and scurried along with him figuring if he was good enough to hold baby Tracey, he was good enough for me to hang out with.

"Grace was it?" he asked as we pulled out of the lot and started driving back to suburbia. "Uh- yeah... Grace Colins." I nodded lightly and hesitated. "I didn't get your name sorry..." He laughed loudly and I jumped. "Stop being so skittish around me kid, I aint gonna hurt ya." I sighed lightly. "Sorry force of habit, since dad raped-" I cut myself off with wide eyes as the car came to a sharp stop. "Say that again." I froze, "I-I didn't say anything."

"Name's Trevor- say that again. Gracie, now." I hesitated and gritted my teeth. "A few weeks ago my dad-... It's why I went to live with Michael and Amanda." He growled and smashed his fist into the steering wheel. "I hate fuckers like that!" He looked back at me and sighed. "Mandy and Mikey are gonna have their hands full, you got a job to pay rent?" I hesitated and shook my head lightly. "I'm still in middle school..." He scoffed and leant back in his seat.

"Then sorry to break it to ya kid but ya may have to move back home." I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the door. "Thanks for the ride Trevor." He frowned a lil and leant forward in his seat. "What are ya-" I shook my head quickly. "I CAN'T go back! I WON'T go back!" I went to slam the door and he huffed. "Get in the car Grace, your practically Mikey's family so you stay with me." I frowned and perched on the seat. "What do you mean?" He huffed. "I don't make a habit of taking in strays, but ya might be an exception."

I blinked. "Why would you do that for me?" He rolled his eyes and motioned for me to shut the door. "You remind me of me, not all of us have had a good life, some us shittier than others, you just happen to be the shittiest of us all, congrats on winning the shit award, now. Let's go home." I nodded and shut the door, buckled my seatbelt and tapped my foot lightly to the music as we sped back to his home.

I'd only been living at Trevor's a few months; school was concerned at my large absences so I stopped going all together, what was the point? I was an abused little girl with no prospects of the future, what could school do to help? I lounged on his sofa with a cigarette in my mouth dazedly staring at the ceiling. I heard the door slam and he paused in the doorway. "I took a pill...I don't know what it was but I can't move." He rushed over and looked down at me.

"Have you been to school?" I laughed a lil, "I don't go there anymore." He growled and grabbed my arm. "You used my razors again." I shrugged lightly. "Sue me." He sighed and propped me up. "What did you take?" I blinked slowly, "The lime green one, I need more." He growled and took the cigarette away. "Ya gonna be sick?" I shook my head, "No, everything just seems really cloudy and bright..." He pulled a face and looked round as Brad let himself in.

"Did you know about this?" Brad shrugged. "I saw her take a few earlier, leave the kid alone she just wants to get high." I lazily dragged my sight to Trevor and grinned up at him. "Yeah... I just wanna have fun T." I grinned and spied the white pills lying on the table. "Ooh... more, I want more." I leant across taken a back as he snatched my hand and rested me back down on my back huffing to himself. "Stop stealing my drugs."

I cuddled up to the couch cushion and pulled a face at the smell "Jesus did something die in this?" he smirked. "You are sniffing 8 years of retained ass air." I jumped up and wobbled wiping at my face. "Gross, gross, gross!" He looped an arm around my shoulder and sat me on his lap in his chair, "There, better views all round." I stared at the colours of the TV as they all swirled into one and leant back into him, slightly alarmed at the spectacle. "Umm T, think I having a bad trip."

Hearing him breathing so close to my ear was almost comforting. "I love your accent Trevor." I could feel myself grinning deliriously shifting in his lap, too high to give a damn about Brad's lingering eyes or Trevor's hands on my legs, nothing mattered now, no feeling of fear, afraid to even breathe in case Frankie was there, this was actually the most peaceful I'd felt in a while. "I like drugs T..."

He grunted and lit up whatever it was he was smoking. "That stinks." He scoffed, "Make up your mind, I thought you liked drugs." I laughed lightly and lulled my head across his shoulder. "I like pills. The green ones were awesome." He rolled his eyes and shunted me forward as he grabbed a little clear bag full of the green ones. "Not too much, you'll OD and I'm not taking your ass to hospital." I grinned and loosely grabbed them.

"Braaaaaaaad, you not partaking?" He grunted and stuck to whatever it was he was smoking. "Dunno why you agreed to let her stay T." I frowned up at the ceiling and flopped myself forward to glare at the lump in the battered brown leather chair. "Fuck you Brad, don't be a dick." He rolled his eyes and got up. "I'm out T; tell Mikey I'll see him." I pouted and looked back at Trevor. "Your friends don't like me much." He rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Brad's a dick anyway, and I'm not letting you go back to those sick fucks."

I smiled lightly and flopped back into him. "You're a damn hero T." He grinned and nudged me. "You better not fall asleep on me." I stumbled to my feet and got myself a cup of water. "Nah, I think I'm good- for now..." wobbling on my feet I approached him again, flopping back in his lap I watched the old cartoon on the TV in front of us. "How did you meet Michael?"

He snorted and tilted his head to look at me in my almost normal state. "We went to school together, after I violated my hockey teacher with his own stick." Laughter erupted from me without my permission. "Why didn't I think of that?!" The TV changed to adverts and I felt my eyes get slightly heavy. "If I ever OD will you take me to hospital?" He grunted and coughed lightly. "I won't let you get that far." I smiled gently to myself. "Thanks."

He slid out from under me with his cigarette perched between his lips, taking careful strides to the kitchen to retrieve a beer and used the counter to pop the lid off. "You gotta teach me to do that, you don't have a damn bottle opener." He grinned. "Yeah, that way ya can't steal my beer too." He got a call and went into the bedroom to answer it slamming the door behind him. "Nah... I don't want ya beer."

Sliding into the chair I found it quite comfortable, I could see why it was his, my drug addled mind pictured myself sitting on a giant marshmallow whilst the brush of leather told me otherwise, the house was quite a state, messy place but enough to be homey not hoarder-like. The walls barely held any colour, apart from T's room; the terracotta was actually quite a contrast to the rest of the place decked out in creams in whites, well yellow whites stained by nicotine.

Hands on my waist drew me from my thoughts as I was lifted and sat on T's lap again. "Mandy sends her regrets." I frowned, "Wha?" He huffed. "She doesn't like it that you dropped out of school, she's disappointed in you, do those lot even know what fucking shit those fuckers put you through?" I shook my head. "Was easier to keep it to myself." He frowned. "Your dad rapes you and it's easier to keep it to yourself?" He spun me to face him and looked at me seriously, "if you go out and either of those fuckers come near me, you tell me, got it?" I nodded.

"Good." I sighed. "That's why you like Tracey so much right? You can protect her as big bad uncle T?" He furrowed his brows and looked at me. "Forget it. Don't need anything from anyone, apart from a bed and pills, I'll look after myself. But if I have to I'll find ways of paying you back." I shrugged lightly tilting my head slightly. "Even if I have to fuck ya T at least I ain't back there." I squirmed in his lap trying to get comfy and finally settled.

He put his hand over my eyes and sighed. "Sleep Gracie, I'll wake you up later." I nodded lightly and fell asleep nuzzled into his shoulder, the distinct bulge I felt pressed against my ass was definitely not a good sign, well maybe good for him. "T... get your boner away from my ass." He chuckled lightly and kept an arm around my waist, jeez how wrong is this a 21 year old cuddling with a 15 year old... well a lil more than cuddling, the reaction... that's definitely not legal.


	4. Unhealthy Lifestyle

Chapter four

Unhealthy lifestyle

Trevor was easy enough to live with, had a fit when I cleaned the place up because I trod on some broken glass and had to have stitches in my foot. Id briefly caught sight of Tracey when Michael was around but I felt more like I would intrude if I went in to see her. "Gracie? Where you at?" I poked my head out of the bedroom and tried my best to seem sober when I was far from it.

"Grace- are you drunk?" I blinked at Michael and swallowed. "Leave me alone." He frowned and left Trevor with Tracey for a moment as he burst into the room noticing the needles lying discarded on the bed and the multiples of scars littering my arms. "I want the whole fucking story. Now." I laughed at him tripping over myself. "Fuck off Michael; you don't even give a shit." He growled.

"If you're a danger to my daughter you can get the fuck out." I scoffed. "HE SMOKES WEED AND DOES SPEED AND YOU DON'T REPRIMAND HIM!" He shook his head and grabbed my arm dragging me with him. "Get off!" He gave me a look and shook his head. "You're just as bad as your mom." I froze to the spot and took a shallow breath, grabbing my jacket I brushed past him and out into the cold air. "Fuck you Townley!" I wiped at my eyes and carried on my trek, sticking a cigarette in my mouth and having to borrow a lighter to enjoy it.

"Grace! Oh my god honey, I thought you'd gone!" I looked across to the upper class car rolling by noting my mother in her 'hooker' outfit I rolled my eyes. "I'm staying with friends." She grinned and nodded. "Good girl, do you need money?" I paused and walked up. "You got pills?" she looked taken a back and nodded fiddling with her purse and producing a lil baggy. "Thanks mom." I slipped it into my pocket and carried on walking.

"Bye honey!" Shrugging lightly I pulled the fur trimmed jacket closer to myself as the cold became more prominent and it started snowing again. "Fucking Townley's, thinking they're better than everyone else. They can go fuck themselves." I growled and took myself off to a place I knew no one would find me, the overturned car wreck near the park.

I didn't bother to look at them, didn't care what they were, I swallowed them, all of them. There were only 4 or 5 that wasn't enough to kill me, temporarily brain dead yeah but not kill me, none of the shit in NY was strong. The effects were instant and I practically melted into the rusted metal, colours were so pretty and everything smelt good and sounded good, why couldn't his be a permanent state of mind?

"Gracey?" Ugh okay, who found me, why did they find me? I blinked up at a giant moustache and blinked again focusing on Trevor's face. "Go away T." He grabbed my arm and sat me up. "Your nose is bleeding." I shrugged and chuckled as he growled. "What did you take Grace? How much did you take?" I shrugged again. "Lil pills, 4 or 5 I think..." I could hear myself slurring my words and I could taste iron from the nosebleed.

"Come on, let's take you home." I pulled away from him and bounced my head off the side of the ruin. "No, I ain't going back to that judgemental prick!" He stopped and checked his pocket. "Where'd you get the pills Grace?" I kept my head down, the pain not splintering through my skull. "Mom." He shook his head and lifted me, slinging me over his shoulder and driving us back.

As soon as we got back he carried me inside the house slamming the door with his foot. "Let- GO!" I tumbled onto the floor and caught sight of myself in the mirror, my face smeared with blood. I took a breath and fell back on to floor looking up at nothing as a lil pair of feet padded on my stomach and flopped down I blinked. "I told him." I growled. "You had no right." Michael shook his head. "Why didn't you tell us?" I shrugged.

"Couldn't." He sighed and picked up the blonde and pink bundle. "Come on Trace, let's get you home." I stayed on the floor and slowly breathed out trying not to cry. "I didn't want them to know." Trevor sighed and laid back on the floor next to me. "So... what you gonna do? Your stuff's still at your parent's house." I sighed and sat up. "Go home." He looked at me with a mixture of disbelief. "You're kidding me." I huffed. "I need clothes."

He helped me up and out into the car. "I'll wait outside whilst you go in and get them, ain't takin' no for an answer Grace." I sagged my shoulders in defeat and nodded. "Fine, let's just get this over with." I went to the door and swung it open; seriously the place smelt like someone had died. "Get the fuck outta my house-!" Frankie paused in the doorway, obviously drunk, shotgun in hand as he swayed.

"Dad, the fuck are you doing?" He hiccupped and went back to his seat as if he didn't even realise I'd been gone. I ran upstairs and collected as many clothes as I could, noting that all my valuable items were gone. "Fuckin a." I shook my head and went back down, faced with my mother as she stumbled in. "That yours? I'm disappointed Gracie I thought I raised you better. You need to go for the rich ones!" I huffed.

"He's a friend." She giggled to herself and I rolled my eyes, shifting my bag. "Dad's outta beer." I strode past her and out feeling dirty just from being back inside that house, I tossed my bag in and crumpled into a sobbing fit, I felt dirty, disgusting. He threw his cigarette butt at the house and sped away from the place, slowing as we approached the house. "What happened?" I shook my head. "I can't go back there- I can't- I can't."

He slowed down to a stop and patted my shoulder. "Grace, we aren't there look. See? Back at my place. Nice and safe." I nodded and sighed. "Sorry I hate the effect it has on me." he shook his head. "You were abused in that place for years, I'm surprised you haven't just burnt it down or something." I sighed and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for the pick up T." He grinned and carried on driving.

Trevor had already taken a pew in his favourite chair watching this crap reality show about surgery or whatever, funny I'd been clean for roughly a week and getting it out of my system was hard, finding little things to keep my mind off of the stuff, Trevor had admitted the stuff I was addicted to was E and painkillers luckily I hadn't taken anything too dangerous when I got out of control.

"T I'm taking a shower." He ignored me as I grabbed my stuff from the bedroom, rinsing out the shower and locking the door as I stripped down, the warmth of the water was nice, luckily since I rigged the tank we were able to take longer showers without the water suddenly running cold. "Grace! You have to come see this bitches tits! They're fucking massive!" I rolls my eyes and finished washing my hair.

I gathered my towel around myself and ducked into the bedroom to find my night clothes only to find a few things missing. "T, do you know where my boxers are?" I stood in the door way and he did a double take between me and the TV. "Fuck Gracie, why don't you walk around like that more often?" I shook my head. "Ha fuckin ha dickwad, where's my shit?" He smirked and patted his lap. "Come watch this with me."

I rolled my eyes and sat across his lap watching to show and glancing at the hand creeping up my leg. "T what ya doing?" He smirked over at me and trailed his hand a lil further up under the towel, looking between me and his hand. "Not frightened yet?" I frowned "why would I be frightened?" he shook his head. "Usually they're too afraid to have another partner after they've been raped." I growled. "Fuck you Trevor." He laughed a lil. "That's what I'm hoping for Gracie."

I turned to straddle his lap fully aware of his hands exploring the area of skin beneath my towel. "I don't wanna push you too hard Gracie..." I huffed and grabbed the back of his hair pulling him in to kiss me. "Shut up and fuck me already T." He hoisted me up by my hips and buried his face into the side of my neck tenderly biting on the spot there.

"Mmm Gracie..." I grinned and pushed against him as he threw me backwards onto the bed. "You're still clothed T." He slipped out of his clothes and let me do as I pleased as I let my hand drift across his slightly tanned skin. "Say something Canadian." I smirked and he growled, flipping me backwards onto my front.

He took his time as he covered me, his chest pressed firmly against my back, his movements slow and steady. "T just do it, I wont break I swear." He sighed in relief and pounded into me fast and hard, the way I'd expected him to although that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell. "T-Trevor- ow!" He stopped mid thrust panting hard and checked that he hadn't hurt me. "Lil gentler please, my insides aren't made of iron."

He finished on my back and I grimaced looking across at him. "seriously?" He smirked back and leant in so our noses were touching. "putain très sérieux." I grinned and kissed him again shaking my head. "you can do that anytime you want as long as you talk like that to me after." He laughed lightly. "Deal."

Most nights carried on like that, thankfully I was smart enough to make sure that I kept up to date on my medication and enough to make sure he was always clean. I swear I hadn't touched a drug since and I was happy. The occasional joint wasn't exactly criminal, and it was all that addictive, I think my new poison of choice was alcohol.

I sat alone in my room, drunk off my face as T stumbled in and chucked something at me grinning lightly. "Thought you might like them." I looked in the small box at the small pair of earrings and sighed. "You robbed the jewellery store?" He hiccupped and flopped on my bed. "You sound mad." I growled. "Because I don't want you to go to jail!" He bit his lip and shook his head. "Man up Gracie."

I shook my head and put the box aside, collecting my jacket and my smokes heading towards the door, I needed to air to clear my head. Did it matter? Half the time everything we did was hardly legal, well three quarters of the time it was never legal. Fuck it. Fuck them. And fuck legal. I was happy here, nothing gonna change that.

The stroll into town brought me to the liquor store and with it, as I approached a familiar face stumbled out, 2 crates of beer tucked under his arm. "Oh look!" He snarled. "My little bitch." I growled and shook my head. "Fuck off Frankie." He stomped over to me and got in my face. "I'm still your father you ungrateful little brat." I snorted and spat in his face.

"Fathers don't rape their little girls." He snorted back at me and knocked shoulders with me as he brushed past and got into the car, in my head I was envisioning him wrapping that car around a concrete pillar, shooting out the windscreen and laying all bloody broken and dead on the road. I wish right?

I went into the store and took a mental note of all the areas the CCTV covered and the clerk who was sitting reading the newspaper at the front of the store only glanced every now and again. I went to the corner out of view of everything and picked up a couple of bottles of cider, hiding them underneath my puffy jacket, I walked up to the clerk and enquired on the price of scotch as to not arouse suspicion and left. Easy as.

I got home and handed the bottle to Brad. "Your favourite right?" he looked between me and the bottle as if torn on whether to accept or enquire where I got it. "It's obvious I stole it dipshit, want it or not? I got 2." He grinned and took it yelling back to Trevor. "Hey T, looks like you picked a good one after all!"


	5. Mistakes

Chapter five

Mistakes

Trevor came and got me from my small job and the heavy smog, stench of alcohol and blaring of rock music was enough to tell me that the party was more than underway. "Gracey! Our little sweet sixteener! Come and drink!" Michael's drunken slur made me shake my head and look back at Trevor. "That's why you came to get me wasn't it; you're the most sober of you idiots?"

He grinned and thumped me in the back sending me sprawling forward; taking a seat I eyed the multiple bottles of beer and shrugged. "Can't beat 'em, join 'em." I blinked at the new substance on the table and pulled a face. "Coke and Meth? Really? Weed wasn't enough for you?" Michael shook his head knocking back another beer. "For that psycho? Of course not! Kidding, I love ya bro."

I shook my head and looked over the substances opting that alcohol should be the heaviest thing in my system tonight. "Sooo...GRACEY, how about you come sit over here and try this?" Trevor held out a roll up which stunk of something other than weed. "What's in it?" He rolled his eyes and shuffled forward in his seat and patted his lap.

I rolled my eyes and took a perch, narrowly avoiding what had been offered to me. "Fuck off T you know I ain't into that shit no more. I got all I need here." I tilted my bottle of beer and cuddled up to him slightly as he took long drags of whatever it was he was smoking.

The evening went by in a blur from there, inappropriate touching and smoking with Trevor whilst Brad and I shared numbers and decided to try to be friends. Although the end of the night ended up somewhere I hadn't expected. "Ugh... oh G-Grace... you know- I think you're gorgeous really... I don't care what your parents have done to you- you're still beautiful." I laughed a lil at Michael's drunken slur my own mind off floating with the fairies.

"Shut the fuck up Mikey." I lulled my head back into Trevor's shoulder as he shoved me off of him stalking to the kitchen to get me another beer. "Owwwwww..." I picked myself up from the floor and tripped up on myself and settled for sitting at Michael's feet.

I stood and made my way to the bathroom, I couldn't even tell the wall from the floor let alone if I was walking in a straight line, or even to the bathroom. I heard the door shut and could barely make out the person in front of me, his hands slid from my waist to my ass, hoisting me up onto the sink; he leant in slowly and pushed his lips roughly against mine, his mind just as clouded too. "Michael-" He pulled my shirt up and gently rubbed my breasts from outside of my bra.

"They're real..." He grinned and squeezed a little bit harder, I just blinked dumbfounded and too drunk to even realise what was happening. My eyes couldn't focus properly as I just blankly followed his movements moving when nudged me, spreading my legs a little wider for him to fit snugly between them. His hands fumbled at my skirt, playing with the lace trim of my underwear.

The stench of alcohol in his breath caressing my face as he panted with effort at trying to undo the button on his jeans. I shimmied out of my underwear, letting them fall to the ground, just below the toilet system; I probably couldn't pick them up anyway.

"Fuck- ugh" He finally managed to undo the button and pull down his zipper, grabbing my arms and pulling them around him, the drink in my system finally putting my already clouded mind into a coma state. I barely registered the places he was touching me, or him actually physically fucking me, just how cold it felt after he'd gone and left me sitting alone on the sink and how shameful it felt to have to rejoin the others after.

I relaxed in the seat, very aware of the wandering hands beneath my skirt and questionable look I got when it reached its destination. "I need to go to bed, it's been fun." Trevor gave one last squeeze and hoisted me to my feet. "Brad- you can lock up righ-?" I stumbled slightly and clung to him to keep me upright. "Should never have trusted you to let me drink that much, that- my brains numb..."

The next morning I couldn't remember a damn thing, I had the hangover from hell, not helped with the loud blare from the TV as Trevor was yelling something down the phone and I felt, to be blunt, fucked. "Grace get the fuck up!" I blinked and got to my feet swaying as I took careful steps towards to kitchen. "You alright T-" I was cut off as I slammed into the wall, his hand around my throat. "You fucked Michael."

I choked lightly and grabbed his hand. "W-what? T I dunno what you're tal-" his grip increased and he snarled in my face. "DON'T FUCKING LIE TO ME!" I cowered a lil and shook my head as best I could. "T- I can barely remember last night but I'm pretty sure I didn't-" He laughed aggressively in my face and glared. "Then why did you disappear off with him then I found your panties under the fucking toilet!"

I'm not sure how many times I opened and closed my mouth trying to find words. "I don't know T... seriously I don't...I don't know why you'd think I fucked that twat but as far as I remember I didn't." He threw me away from him and I tripped up on the empties on the floor. "Get out." I went to take a step forward and he flew at me. "GET THE FUCK OUT GRACE!"

I hung my head and grabbed my coat, slipping on my shoes and leaving the house, I got as far as the park when it finally hit me and I collapsed in the snow crying. I didn't go back that night, I was so tempted to go home and beg my mom for more pills but I couldn't, I just didn't want to move. As the sun set I crawled into the wreck of the car just outside the play area, almost full circle here, started taking heavy drugs now clean and craving heavy drugs.

It was freezing; I think I spent around 2 days in that car hollow, out of my mind with cold since I was wearing a vest, boxers, my parka and some slip ons. I could hear kids laughing and joking as they played at the park, parents nattering and here I sat, homeless and freezing to death, guess I deserved it in the end. A familiar little blonde head peeked in around the corner and made grabby hand for me. "Gwates!" I blinked and looked at her, rather preferring I hadn't seen her.

"Tracey get away from there!" I could hear multiple sets of footsteps approach and I panicked trying to shoo her away from me, pausing only at the pairs of feet that stood at the entrance of the wreck, I curled myself away from them into a ball and stayed silent, maybe if they didn't know I was here they wouldn't look inside, just take the kid and go.

"What's that?" Something poked me hard in the back and I yelped a little, squirming. "The hell- is that- is that Grace?" One of them quickly dove into the wreck and grabbed my sleeve turning me onto my back; if I wasn't blue I had to at least be purple by now. "Grace can you hear me?" Trevor's voice reached me but I couldn't bring myself to answer, I could only groan lightly and squint a lil, it was so cold.

"What the hell is she doing in there?!" Amanda crouched down and grabbed my hood helping to pull me out. Michael and Trevor shared a look and Michael backed down. "We had a fight. I kicked her out, I thought- I thought she'd come back." Amanda pinched at my cheeks and rubbed my legs trying to get me warm. "She's barely wearing anything, you couldn't at least let her get dressed before you kicked her out?!"

I coughed lightly and pulled away from them. "Grace?" Trevor grasped my arm and pulled me back helping me to my feet. "I didn't take drugs if that's what you want to know. Fuck it I'm going home." Trevor sighed. "I'll drive you." I scoffed. "Home, home, not; hiding, home." I dragged myself away and back in the direction of Frankie and Jade's place, listening to Amanda spouting mild profanities about me. Fuck it; fuck her she didn't know a damn fucking thing.

"Did you tell her Mikey?!" I yelled back. "Tell her about it, how her precious uncle is a fucking rapist!" I carried on walking and took myself to a doorstep I immensely disliked. "I want to come the fuck home." Jade swung the door open and stumbled out. "Oh hi honey. Sorry we sold some of your stuff since you weren't here, you still have books though, no one wants those." I nodded lightly and went up to my room, fishing under the bed, I grabbed Toby's teddy close to me and curled up sleeping off a few days cold.

I woke up early the next day, there was incessant banging at the door and Frankie was passed out downstairs, Jade still wasn't back. I opened the door and grabbed the wrist as a fist aiming obviously to bang on wood almost landed in my face. "Get your fucking stuff." I blinked at Trevor awkwardly hunched in the doorway. "Michael took advantage of you. We talked." I shook my head.

"I aint no pity party Trevor, just- you can bring my stuff back here." He growled and pushed past me. "I'll pack a fucking bag for you then. You ain't staying here." I stood there completely dumbfounded, what the fuck just happened? "You told me to get out." He huffed and chucked the teddy at me. "I meant for like an hour or something not 3 fucking days Grace!"

I shook my head lightly and stepped away from him. "T-..." He growled and grabbed my hair in a scruff pulling me flush against him and kissing me hard. "You're coming the fuck home. Got it?" I smiled lightly and nodded getting in the car with him as we came to stop outside the house and kept staring at my lap and he sighed. "You were almost paralytic Gracey, you wouldn't have stopped him even if you wanted to, you just didn't know."

I nodded lightly and grabbed my bag going with him back into the house and flopping out on the sofa. "Still smells like ass." He chuckled and looked over at me. "That's probably because you sit on it with your ass." He plonked down in front of me and held eye contact. "See Braddy boy told me, you stole alcohol and gave it to him, so...how about we upgrade you."

"How?" He grinned. "I'm gonna teach you to drive." I paused and burst out laughing at him, watching as his look turned sour. "You? Teach me to drive?! God I love you T but you'll kill me." He grinned and patted my head. "Bet you a fuck that I can do it." I smirked. "Deal."

My driving had improved immensely over the past few months, I managed to chip together enough to pay for my driving test and at the very least improve on parking, instead of ending up halfway through Trevor's hedge which honestly would never be the same again.

"Jesus fucking Christ, next time can you run over next doors cat? It keeps shitting in the garden." I shrugged. "Sure thing." He nodded and paused as a call came in. "Mikey? Yeah sure thing I'll be right there." He grabbed his jacket and left without a word making me feel...odd, not jealous, I was NOT jealous of the Townley's.

I huffed and called Brad over, starting to clean up the place, do the washing and the dishes whilst waiting for him to get here. "Fucking hell, he's got you well trained." He hung around in the doorway as if he had to rush off. "What's going on?" He sighed and pulled the ski mask down over his face. "Robbing." I nodded lightly and waved him off, debating whether or not to follow.

I watched him leave and grabbed my bag, jumped in the car and started following at a distance, weaving between traffic to keep out of sight, it was a small supermarket type shop they were hitting from the looks of it. I parked up a lil ways out of the way and went in through the back looking around for Trevor and briefly avoiding getting caught by Michael.

I made my way out back and stopped short as I could hear moaning, did they shoot someone? Rape someone? God if that was true I'd kill them. I peeked around the corner and noticed a figure that looked vaguely like Trevor with his fist in this guys hair and a gun pressed tight against the guys temple while he got him to suck him off.

I mean I knew T was Bisexual but to threaten a guy at gunpoint to give him a blowjob? I somehow mistakenly thought Trevor was better than that. The guy was obviously struggling and I froze, did I stop him? Did I just leave? What? I paused as I felt a gun nestle against the back of my head and I was dragged over to where the rest of the shoppers were being held, recognising the grip as Brad.

"Everybody get the fuck down!" I jumped as I was chucked in with the others and kept my head down images of what T had done running through my head, I almost felt sick. They took everything and ran, I stayed with the others until the police came and I gave a generic statement, I was checked over by the paramedics that had been called and sent on my way.

I didn't go home, I went to the liquor store and bagged a bottle of scotch since my father was 'such a loyal customer' and went to the park to drink, jumping out of my thoughts as my phone rang. "H-hello?" A grunt met me. "Where are you?" I blinked at the floor listening to Trevor heavily breathing down the line. "Drinking."

He huffed and I could hear Brad and Michael celebrating in the background. "I saw everything Trevor, I was in the mart, I watched what you did to him." The line went silent and he sighed. "I'm not coming back yet, I wanna finish my scotch." He sighed and waited a moment. "Ok."


	6. Facts

Chapter six

Facts

By the time I was 17 I'd scraped enough money together to sit my test, I passed barely but still the little card hanging around in my bag was all the freedom I needed. "T can I have a beer to celebrate... this?!" I showed him my new license and grinned as he inspected it carefully with a small grin on his face.

It took about a month or so to get over the little incident, it's not like anyone else wanted me anyway. So what if having me wasn't enough? Evidently he got off on guys just as much as women. I cared that it was practically rape, and he understood that, he bothered to think about it which helped.

He'd spent a lot of time with Michael and Amanda recently since she'd just had another brat. James. Or Jimmy, whatever. I'd sort of managed to mostly move out of my parents house now, all of my belongings safely at Trevor's place. It seemed that I was the third thing on Trevor's mind now, not really important to him anymore it seemed, didn't even matter to him that I was almost legal, well 3 years to go.

"Gracey! Gracey, honey come here!" I approached the door and noticed Frankie passed out in his chair and Jade pulled me inside, she took me upstairs and smiled lightly playing with my hair and clothes a little. "What are you doing?" I pushed her meddling hands away as she pushed me inside the room.

"He prefers younger women; make sure you get the full payment!" I blinked for a moment dumbfounded at her words, who preferred what? "Oh... you took your time, I thought whores were desperate for money...you look cleaner than her though." He smirked and loosened his tie as I shook my head glaring.

"You've been tricked dude. I don't fuck no one for money." He grinned. "Freebie then?" I spat at his feet and growled. "Meaning you lay a fucking finger on me and you lose it." He smirked and carried on his approach. "You're what 18? You barely look strong enough to lift dishes, let alone take me on." I growled and stepped forward to meet him.

"Bring it." He laughed and made to grab me when I grabbed his arms, kneed him in the nuts and sent him out of the window. "Bon fucking voyage." I ripped the door open and grabbed a pisswasser and my keys as I strode past Jade and made my way out to my car. I got in and punched the steering wheel as hard as I possibly could taking a moment to watch Jade help the pervert to his feet.

"Cant rely on no one Gracey..." I noticed the text from Trevor notifying me he was Michael's again. "Not even him." I huffed and threw my phone aside, leaning back in my seat and starting the car, I drove halfway back to Trevor's before noticing the sign in the window front. "Apply within. Hmm..." I pulled up and made myself slightly more presentable, so when I entered I was taken a back. "You're kidding me."

Mark grinned at me from behind the counter. "Grace!" I smiled lightly. "Mark... I didn't know you worked here...I was looking for a job..." He chuckled and strode across removing the card from the window. "I own the Place Gracie. How've you been?" I shrugged lightly. "I've been okay." He nodded. "So a pharmacy girl huh? You'll be working the counter, so smiles and no swears ok? Unless they harass you then you throw them out or call me."

I nodded lightly, "8:30 tomorrow morning then?" He grinned and nodded. "Careful trip home." I strode back to my car and grinned to myself. "Ha." I drove home and noticed T still wasn't back by the time I arrived. I got in and the house was still untouched, he still hadn't been home. I sighed and made myself dinner, had a shower and took myself off to bed, he still wasn't home and I wasn't sure if I cared or not.

I was upset by it but I almost expected it, since he had his little thieving family to hang with and I wasn't part of that. I went to bed early and left early in the morning, dressed as modestly as possible and leaving Trevor to snore. I grabbed my keys, quickly silencing the jingle and leaving the house, the ride to the store was quick and the rest of the day went well, Uncle Mark was a good boss.

I could afford to start paying Trevor rent or towards anything I used, I could afford my own food, a better car, but when money ran thin I looked at the ad's for Los Santos and couldn't help but think what if I had the money to make it there? "Hey T...?" He groaned and flopped onto his back. "Yeah?" I hesitated and brushed a hand through his hair.

"Do you have any family? Like here or the Canadian border?" He flopped back and nodded, obviously already off his face. "Yeah I got family in Canada. They hate my guts." I blinked surprised and sighed. "Guess we're on our own huh?" He nodded lightly burying himself into my lap and falling asleep. "Night T." He grunted in acknowledgment and started snoring again.

I called around a few more places in the paper vaguely remembering T mentioning something Amanda had said that Velvet Stocks were still down a worker since she left, I could do that couldn't I? I wasn't pretty but I was still female. "T... do you like strippers?" He grumbled in his sleep and grinned, I sighed in response and texted Amanda.

I had to go to an interview meeting Amanda's old boss after work, noting that Trevor still hadn't called, probably still busy with the Townley's since their newest addition. Bleh. I changed in the car and messed my hair up a lil trying to make myself at least slightly alluring. I can't say this was a dream job but hey the pay was good apparently.

He asked me to strut a few basics, how I could handle a pole, lap dancing, how to handle inappropriate touching, and the fact I was a relative of one of his ex dancers obviously swayed in my favour. "Congrats Grace, you're in. Shifts are flexible as long as you give me 24 hours give or take to change them." I smiled lightly and nodded. "Lingerie is typical dress code, and shifts run from 8 pm til 3 am, you okay with that?" I nodded eagerly and he shooed me out.

Ay look at that 2 jobs, one respectable, one not, not bad for an abused lil kid from a broken home. I arrived back at home and stumbled over something as I entered, face planting into the floor and listening to screaming. Joy. "Grace! You broke her pony!" I looked up to see Tracey cradling her decapitated pony and a bear in Jimmy's hands that made my blood boil.

"What is that?" I growled and snatched the bear from the infants hands listening to him scream, the reaction obviously didn't go down well with Michael. "The fuck is wrong with you?!" I grabbed my keys and stormed out, driving to the nearest store to get a replacement pony for Tracey, a cute little pink unicorn and for jimmy a fluffy teddy with a bow around his neck.

"Not Toby's bear. No, I'm sorry but no." I shook my head lightly restraining myself and pulled up as Michael was leaving the house; he glared through me as I approached but I ignored him and crouched at Tracey's height. "I'm sorry I broke horsey Trace but... what about this?" I held out the unicorn and she dropped the broken pieces flinging herself into my arms and hugging me tight. "Tanku Anti Gwace!" I smiled lightly and stood to my height tucking the fluffy teddy in the nook of Jimmy's arm.

"I'm sorry I overreacted... Toby's bear-... it's all I have left of him y'know?" He blinked lightly and nodded looking a lil shocked. "Thanks for the gifts..." I waved him off. "One was a replacement the other was for my great cousin. God that sounds so weird." He grinned a little and nodded. "Amanda mentioned talking to you about her old boss giving you a job." Trevor thundered into the doorway and grabbed my arm pulling me inside. "Seeya Mikey!"

He gave me an undecided look, he wasn't blinking and... it was creepy. "T, baby what's wrong?" I waved my hand in front of his face and he grabbed it. "You did...what?!" I jumped at the sudden outburst and bit my lip. "Well Mark's pay is all well and good but I wanna be able to buy real stuff, a nice car, nice clothes-" He scoffed and growled lightly. "What my shit aint 'nice' enough for you?" I shook my head. "T you know that's not what I meant."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes throwing himself down in his chair and looking away gave me an idea. I turned the lights down low and stripped myself of my shirt, sliding over him straddling his lap. "Come on baby... you know I'm sorry..." I let my fingers dance along his shoulders and carefully steadied my breathing against his ear. "T..." He growled and lifted me by my thighs as we went towards the bedroom. Ha. Forgiven.

Juggling jobs wasn't as bad as some people made it out to be, I worked from 8:30am – 5:00pm in the pharmacy, then went home to change and get some dinner. Then shifts were 8:00pm – 3:00am. It was tiring work but they weren't EVERY day just most days and I had weekends to myself and Trevor of course. "We never fuck anymore." He groaned and I looked back at him incredulously. "I'm sorry we fucked less than half an hour ago. Grow the fuck up Trevor!"

He growled and waved me off rolling his eyes. "Well sorry we don't all work 2 jobs for a living." I slammed my glass down and glared. "Well SORRY we can't all STEAL for a living!" we glared at each other for a moment before we burst out laughing. "Did your application come back at all? For the air force?" He sighed and shook his head. "The bitch who did the assessments said I was mentally unstable. I won't get a chance to."

I gasped a lil in disbelief and pulled him to me. "T... I'm so sorry I know that was your dream... you'll still get to fly though right? You can do cargo transport? Crop dusting? I know it isn't as extreme but-" He kissed me to shut me up and rested his forehead against mine. "Shut up. But thanks." I smiled lightly and kissed his cheek. "I gotta go to work, want me to bring you back a couple of crates in the morning?" He nodded lightly and slapped my ass as I walked past. "Hey-! That's $10 Mr." He grinned as I grabbed my purse and slipped out.

I got to work and had one of the worst experiences on my life. One guy wanted a private lap dance in a booth and Carl had asked me to go do it since I was just back off the pole and as I entered I knew exactly who it was. "Dragged yourself out of your pit long enough to get a hard on and wank it off huh?" Frankie slurred as he looked at me, a tight grip on my arm forced me to him.

"Private booth bitch, I taught you a lesson once I can do it again. Now. I paid for a dance." I shook my head. "From your own daughter? That's sick!" He shrugged and sat back suckling on his pisswasser. I sighed and half assed the dance trying my hardest to use moves that didn't require touching him. "Jesus fucking Christ, you ain't been doing this long have you Gracie?" He grabbed my waist and tried to make me grind against him. A quick scream brought that to an end.

I marched outside as they threw him out and made myself as clear as possible. "You stay the fuck away from me you sick fuck or next time it'll be the police at your door or my boyfriend and his mental issues. I'd be more thankful for the police if I were you." He laughed and got to his feet. "Fuck off you stupid slut." He stumbled to the road and I almost felt inclined to push him into the oncoming traffic. "Wanker."

Trevor pulled up at the curb and punched him hard in the face as he passed him stalking towards me. "I'll be at Michael's for a couple of nights. Don't wait up." He kissed me quickly and kicked Frankie on the floor as he passed him, I chuckled lightly to myself. "See I told you to be more thankful for the cops." I shrugged and went back inside.


	7. Blackmail

Chapter seven

Blackmail

Working at the pharmacy was great, I'd made friends, I had a great boss and discounts on any medication I needed, it was awesome. "Your psycho boyfriend broke his nose!" I tensed as Jade stumbled in, obviously dosed to the eyeballs and staggering around the place with stains of- well I didn't want to know what that was.

"Mom!" I looked to Mark and he nodded taking over at the till as I dragged her outside. "He threatened me so Trevor hit him. It was his own fault!" She hissed at me and slapped my hands away. "I didn't know I'd raised a slut! Fucking a damn psycho instead of being at home helping us- you're a disgrace!" I laughed at her in absolute disbelief and shook my head. "I'll give you the same warning, you stay away from me or I call the police, have you done for harassment and get emancipated. Got it?"

She staggered away screaming profanities as I went back inside. "Sorry Mark..." He nodded to me and resumed his place at the drugs counter whilst I manned the till. "I wish she wouldn't do that." He shook his head. "So your boyfriend beat up ya dad?" I nodded lightly. "He was threatening me and Trevor stepped in, think of Trevor as a less friendly restraining order. He takes good care of me bless him."

I was on my way out that evening when I was confronted by her again; Jade stumbled out and smashed up my bonnet, helpfully captured on CCTV for when I claimed on the insurance. "Leave me the hell alone Jade!" She growled and managed to get a hit in on me before being tackled by some locals who witnessed her assaulting me. "Thanks." I panted lightly when I noticed my rescuer. "God sakes Brad."

He laughed a lil and stood up dragging Jade with him. "What do you have to say to my friend?" she glared over at me. "Rot in hell, bitch." I shook my head. "Been there done that. Whore." She laughed and stumbled away. "Watch your back Gracie!" I huffed and shook my head turning to Brad again.

"Need a ride?" He shook his head. "Nah you're good, you better hurry though, your shift starts in an hour." My head snapped to face him in surprise. "How?" He grinned. "That's my favourite hangout, it's hard not to recognise you, ya know?" I sighed and leant against my dented hood. "I...how often has he seen me?" He laughed loudly, "Trevor? All the fucking time!"

"Fuck..." He shook his head and leant on the hood beside me. "He's really proud of how far you've come; he fucking loves you that much is obvious." I smiled to myself and he groaned. "No, no, no, no! Not the dopey smile, anything but the dopey smile!" I grinned and swayed a lil. "He makes me really happy; those two just do my head in." He nodded in agreement.

"He's a lil bit...distant at times, like he prefers his little thieving family. But...I love him anyway." Brad chuckled and got up. "Go you'll be late for work." I nodded and saluted to the CCTV cam outside the store. "Mark has evidence of harassment now too, I'm bloody happy." He waved me off. "See you at last call!" I grinned and jumped in the car, getting changed in the backseat before racing off.

I got on the pole and realised that I didn't have to concentrate on the crowd right now, I had time to think. Maybe, just maybe there was a way to be rid of Frankie and Jade for good? I'd managed to make enough money working two jobs to potentially move away from North Yankton. But Trevor wouldn't leave and I couldn't leave Trevor.

I dipped down and spotted the familiar trio sitting at the bar clinking beers, another robbery gone well I presume. That was the thing though, it seemed more and more than Trevor was leaving on jobs with Brad and Michael was becoming more the 'family man' than the dirty criminal all three of them really were.

The flutter of cash against my legs brought me out of my thoughts, having been upside down on the pole a fair few minutes now. I switched with one of the other girls and took my break leaning at the bar close to Brad. "Went well then?" Brad looped an arm around my shoulders and offered me a swig of his drink. "Fuck off Brad I dunno where that mouths been." I sauntered over and stole a swig of Trevor's.

"I know where his mouth's been." I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively and smirked as I walked away. Carl came out a few moments after and took me in the back to ask if I'd known a woman who'd been non stop visiting and harassing him about me, surprise, surprise it was Jade. "I'm so sorry." He shook his head and looked almost concerned. "If she's bothering you, you get her away; I don't want no one harassing my girls."

I nodded. "Thanks Carl." He nodded and handed me my pay packet. "That's your man out there right?" I nodded and smiled lightly looking at T as he chuckled. "Go on then." I turned to him quizzically as he rolled his eyes. "You can have the rest of the night off. Go on, before I change my mind." I took my pay and nodded happily to him slipping up to the bar and ordering a single malt scotch.

"So how much ya lift this time? Or was it a toy lot?" Michael glared across at my grinning form. "Shut the fuck up Gracey." I sniggered to myself and looked back at him. "Chill Mikey, was a simple question. T, we need to talk." I tugged on his sleeve and frowned as he tugged back. "Lemme alone I'm drinking with Michael." I scoffed to myself and threw a 20 down on the counter.

"Fuck you then. I'll be visiting them alone; police will give you a call if it goes bad." I shook my head and grabbed my bag wrapping my coat around me and leaving as fast as the 6 inch heels would carry me. "Call me a fucking taxi Barb." The woman in the front office nodded and skittishly went about her work.

"Fucking Jade and Frankie. Fuck all of this stupid fucking-" I spotted the guy dealing in the corner and it took every ounce of self restraint not to just hand him my pay packet and forget about everything for a night. "Fuck it." I walked outside into the snowfall and got in the taxi, I didn't feel like going home, I didn't want to.

"Umm...go to this address please." I handed the driver the slip of paper and bit my lip, people were confusing and mixing with the wrong kind would be the death of me. But this kind, the kind that deal in this kinda shit... didn't need to come with a fucking warning sticker. "This okay miss?" I looked out and took a breath. "Yeah, thanks." I slipped him the cash and got out taking slow steady steps up to the place pausing at the door.

"Do I really wanna do this?" I hesitated to knock and wet my lips taking shallow breaths I just reached forward, and knocked. "Brad sent me." I called out through the door as it opened a crack and another card was handed to me. "You call and then pick up." I nodded to myself. "Thanks." I tucked the card away and walked back home drowning myself in a cheap bottle of pisswasser staring at the floor.

"I'm gonna kill them, I'll kill him first- let her watch then maybe I'll make her do something for me first. They owe me that." I thumbed the card in my hand and thought carefully about it, did I need a knife? A gun? Poison? Did I even know how the fuck I was gonna murder the selfish fuckers? "Something bright... cleansing... something frightening and exhilarating..." I blinked and watched the TV as the thought came to me. "I'll need a couple of jerry cans. Yeah, that'll do, that'll do nicely."

Trevor stumbled in sometime after 1am, I was still writing, planning, budgeting, maybe I'd have to leave my home? Go away, far away, let everything calm down, or maybe I should forget it? Leave them to it and just tell the police that they're stalking me. have some fucking faith in the legal system but T and the gang obviously showed how fucking crap the legal system was, cops weren't all that helpful, it could be the only way? For Toby.

I stretched out and slept on the sofa, woke up late and called in sick, I watched as Brad bustled around in the kitchen since T was long gone. "Brad, I think you need to lock me up. I think I finally lost it." He rolled his eyes. "Quit being so fucking dramatic." I glared lightly. "I almost bought a gun last night. I planned my parent's murder, and I still think I'll do it." He paused in the doorway and walked across. "Why?" I shook my head. "I need to leave." He caught my wrist and pulled me back.

"I said why Grace don't fucking walk away when I'm talking to you." I growled and pulled my wrist away. "DON'T ACT THE FUCKING BIG MAN BRAD! YOU ARENT TREVOR, YOU WONT BE LIKE THEM! BECAUSE YOURE A FUCKING PUSSY IN COMPARISON TO THEM YOU FUCKING FUCK!" I took a very long breath and grabbed my coat. "I'm sorry." I brushed past and left for anywhere but the house, the park was full of kids, I literally had nowhere, well nowhere but Velvet of course.

Sitting alone in an almost empty strip club at 12 noon, great fucking job Gracie look how fucking far you've come. "I can't fucking do this." I shook my head slowly and slammed my head multiple times on the bar until I could see blood. "I thought I fucking told you to quit that." I smirked. "Quit what?" The growl in response annoyed me. "Hurting your fucking self what the fuck else?" I scoffed. "Shut the fuck up Michael."

He slid in and sat next to me at the bar. "So...?" He scoffed. "I'm on time out...you?" I shrugged and nursed my drink. "Planned a murder, almost went through with it then just contemplated taking myself out with it." He came to a full stop and looked over at me. "T know?" I shook my head lightly. "I blew up at Brad, feel a bit guilty now." He frowned and turned a lil to me. "What's going on Grace?"

I shook my head. "Everywhere I go they're there, at work she's there, shopping he's there, I go anywhere they're there, I just. I can't fucking live like this no more." He hesitated and patted my shoulder lightly. "They'll stop eventually Grace." I shook my head at his naivety. "No Mikey, they won't stop till one of us is dead, I bet money that they reckon it'll be me. I bet money that it will be." I placed money down at the bar and brushed past.

"See ya around Mikey." He sighed and watched me leave; I could feel his eyes on me right up until I left the door and ran straight into Jade. "I swear to fucking god if you don't stop stalking me I will do something I'll regret-" she scoffed and pushed me aside. "Classy honey, real classy." I rolled my eyes folding my arms defensively.

"If you don't leave me the hell alone, I'll have your dealer arrested then you'll be sober all the fucking time, what fresh fucking hell will that be, huh Jade?!" She screamed and went for me and I let out a short laugh as the bouncer tackled her to the floor, I watched her flop around like a fish out of water and spat on her as I passed. "Go get a fucking life, whore."

I collapsed once I got home, just laid in bed staring up at nothing than the dirt on the ceiling. "GRACE, GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OUT NOW!" I grinned lightly to myself and tracked out slowly watching Michael shift in the doorway and a rampaging Trevor flipping stuff in the living room. "Calm your shit T. Jesus." He threw the gun to me and I caught it easily looking at him.

"You wanna do it. Fucking do it." I grinned brightly and he stopped in his tracks obvious confusion coating his usual angry snarl. "You're giving me permission to kill my parents?" He frowned and ripped the firearm from my grasp. "No I'm fucking not!" I sighed. "Thanks a lot T." I shook my head and flopped out on the sofa. "I think I'll get a tattoo." He growled and shoved the table out of the way.

"This ain't a fucking joke Grace! You just said you wanted to commit double murder for fuck sake!" I shrugged. "And? You hurt people all the time." The snarl returned and Michael stepped in. "We don't hurt no one Gracie." I laughed to myself and doubled over with laughter. "Really?! What mean like fuck face over here getting a guy to suck him off at gun point?! That aint hurting no one no?!"

Michael sighed and kicked the side of the chair. "I told you she wouldn't get over that man." I laughed to myself and stood up. "Sorry if I don't find rape as funny as the rest of you sick fucks." Trevor grabbed the back of my hair and dragged me closer. "I ain't nothing like that fucker Grace." I shook my head and slapped him hard to release me. "I'm yet to see some proof T, I really am." Grabbing my jacket I left, I dunno where the fuck I thought I was going but I just went.

It took a couple of days and few mildly threatening phone calls for me to finally talk to him, I'd been sleeping in my car parked under the welcome beaver sign, I loved that fucking thing as a kid. "Grace just- come home." I clicked the phone off and started the car, pulling out into the road and slowly driving back, I wasn't going to apologise for how I felt and if he was gonna beat the shit out of me for that I was fucking ready, not like I hadn't felt anything like that before.

I sat outside the door for a solid ten minutes until it swung open and something came tumbling over me. "Well, now you don't have to." I blinked at Trevor's form pressed into the foot deep snow and looked away as he tried to make eye contact. "Look at me. Please." I sighed lightly and stood holding out my hand for him to take.

"You'll freeze to death sitting in the snow, and I ain't looking after your ass if you get hypothermia or pneumonia or shit like that." He grinned and grabbed my legs instead and pulling me down. "Why not?" I rolled my eyes at his antics. "Because you're a big baby when you get sick. It's ridiculous." He huffed and peeked his head round me. "No staring at wet asses!" I looked behind me and noticed Michael and Brad sitting in the lounge.

"How long did you look for me?" He shrugged. "Couple of days..." Brad groaned. "Try every hour from the moment you left. Stop running the fuck away it's annoying." I laughed a lil at them and cradled Trevor's head where it rested against my abdomen. "I didn't think of it like that." I sighed and nodded. "I know you didn't." He kept leaning there until he became dead weight.

"Jesus Christ, don't fall asleep on me T!" The others were laughing as I tried to penguin waddle him back into the house. I slammed the door for a few seconds before a loud banging brought us all out of our laughter. "Anyone expecting anyone?" They all shook their heads and I frowned as I approached and opened the door and there stood Jade.

"Robbery, rape, illegal possession of firearms and drug dealing... oh dear Gracie I think the police will have more to query with you than my stalking." She grinned and I glared. "What the fuck do you want?" she shrugged. "Drugs, from the pharmacy. Mark won't give them to me, but you can get them, and if you don't, I go to the police about these little escapades."

Trevor flew at her and I grabbed his arm, carefully thinking about it, I could lose him, Brad would go to jail, Michael would go to jail and leave Amanda to raise Jimmy and Tracey alone, I couldn't let that happen. Trevor gave me an incredulous look and she watched me expectantly. "Fine. I'll do it."


	8. Trouble

Chapter Eight

Trouble

"You can't do this Grace." I huffed and pulled my keys out of my bag. "Well I'm gonna fucking have to, to save your asses, got it?" Brad stood and shook his head. "You could get arrested for stealing pharmacy drugs Grace." I shrugged. "And if I don't, you all go to jail, I lose T and Amanda has to bring up 2 kids alone. And to top it off, that fucking bitch will win."

Michael huffed as Trevor paced the room kicking bottles around. "And if you get caught?" I shrugged lightly. "Then I either go to jail or I end up owing Mark forever." I nodded to myself, "Tomorrow after work, whilst Mark goes on his break I'll take 'em." Trevor nodded in agreement and I sighed. "Doing this for you baby." I kissed his cheek and slipped into my presentable clothes, leaving for my shift at the pharmacy.

I kept true to my word and waited it out as I served customers swiftly so the place would be empty by the time that Mark took his break. As soon as Mark left I pretended to drop something on the floor and made it look as if it rolled into the drugs section, chasing after it when in reality I was just picking up single boxes as I went and slipping them into my bag.

I stood back at my place playing with my pen and writing a few things off and waved to Mark as he got back from his break and let me off early. I got outside and into my car, travelled down the road and stopped honking twice before Jade showed up at my window. I handed her the bag and nodded, "There I did what you asked; now we're done."

She laughed and tapped on the bag. "This is just the start honey!" I glared and got out of the car loudly slamming my door. "What the fuck do you mean just the start?" She patted my shoulder and sauntered off with the bag laughing lightly as I seethed behind her. "Hope you choke on them, bitch!" She waved me off as she carried on walking and I shook my head, returning to the car and driving home.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I kicked the door open upon my arrival and stomped in, clearly unimpressed. "Grace! The hell you doing back so soon?!" Brad had partially spat his beer down himself and across the floor, obviously having taken from Trevor's little stash. I took a deep breath and just stood there.

"HOW FUCKING DARE SHE! WHO THE FUCK DOES SHE THINK SHE IS?! TO JUST FUCKING BLACKMAIL ME AND MY FAMILY AND ACT LIKE A COMPLETE FUCKING SKANKY BITCH LORDING IT UP OVER ME! I'M FUCKING SICK OF IT! I'M FUCKING SICK OF THEM!" Brad approached slowly in some effort to calm me down.

"AND CALLING ME HONEY! WHO THE FUCK DOES SHE THINK SHE FUCKING IS?!" Trevor took one step inside the door and jumped on my last syllable. "WOAH! Calm the fuck down! What the fuck is wrong with you?!" I spun on my heel and glared his way. "The fuck is wrong with me?" he nodded with a mocking look on his face that screamed 'duh'. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME?! THAT FUCKING STUPID BITCH IS FUCKING WRONG WITH ME!"

He huffed and grabbed the back of my head, tilting me slightly backwards as he kissed me hard silencing me effectively until he came up for air. "I'm not a fucking rabbit, you can't cover my eyes and flip me on my back and I calm down." He grinned and shook his head. "I can fuck you into a coma state if you'd prefer?" I grabbed his shoulder and leant my forehead against his chest.

"What the fuck am I gonna do T?" He possessively circled his arms around my waist and placed a kiss on the top of my head. "No fucking idea Gracie, no fucking idea." I shook my head and growled audibly. "I ain't gonna fucking let her win." He grinned and strolled over to grab a beer. "See Brad? That fucking fire, that's why I'm fucking with her." I grinned back and sat next to Brad again. "I met those friends of yours... what kind of stuff can they source?"

He looked at me incredulously. "Fucking hell Grace you went there? Those guys are dangerous don't go there again, just call them." Trevor sat there bewildered. "Wait- wait, these fuckers hurt you?" I shook my head. "They gave me number to call if I needed anything." Brad sighed in relief. "Cars, guns, gasoline, fake papers, fake ID, anything you need that's remotely illegal." Trevor whistled and chuckled.

"Sounds like my kinda business." I grinned. "Yeah imagine it one day T, 'TREVOR PHILIPS ENTERPRISES'" He grinned and nodded. "You know Gracie, I like the sound of that." I nodded and raised an empty beer bottle to clink with Trevor and Brad's. "To Trevor's one day booming business!" He grabbed my wrist and brought me over to rest in his lap, the three of us sharing a laugh as Michael entered.

"How'd it go?" The smile wiped from my face as I was reminded of my current predicament. "Fuck her, she wants the drugs, I'll get them. Then call the cops on her." Trevor sighed and buried his face in my hair mumbling against my neck. "Then we'll go to jail." I growled and threw the empty bottle at Michael's head. "I FUCKING KNOW!" simmering down I nodded.

"I'll keep on going until it's enough or I'm caught, hell I could avoid jail by fucking the chief of police after all." Trevor's hands tightened their grasp upon me and he growled. "Over my dead fucking body." Sighing, Michael took a seat and grabbed a beer. "Might be the only way T. Can't believe those fuckers are your family." I scoffed. "Please. Those fuckers are my parents; this right here is my family."

Brad groaned. "Don't get all soppy on us Grace! I think I liked the screaming better." I grinned and flopped my head to the side as Trevor attacked it with his teeth. "It's the truth Brad, this is all I need, and it's all I want. Got enough money in the bank, cut my shifts at velvet right down, and the so called respectable job is becoming not so respectable." I sighed a mix between a moan and a groan as Trevor finished his work on my neck. "You better not have just hickied me."

He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as he took another swig of beer and the blare of my phone made me wriggle around in Trevor's grasp trying to get up. "Trevor!" He laughed and released me; I dove at the table and answered my phone quickly. "Hello?" The silence and nothing but sound of heavy breathing down the other side alarmed me. "Hello?" A high pitch whine and light grunt set me on edge. "Who the fuck is this?!" Trevor sat up face furrowed into a frown.

"That's it baby I love it when you talk dirty. Curse at me! More!" I recoiled from the phone and hung up. "Great." I put my phone down and slumped back into Trevor's lap. "I had an admirer at Velvet; I think he's taken it a lil farther than admirer now." Trevor growled and threw the now empty beer bottle at the wall watching me flinch as it shattered. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me?!" I shrugged lightly and shook my head.

"I didn't think it was important..." He growled and got up stalking for the door. "Wait!" he turned back to me and shook his head. "NO! I'm not having some creep scaring MY girl." I huffed and grabbed my coat. "I'm coming too then." He hesitated and nodded. "In the car now." Scurrying to the car I hesitated as I thought about all the things that could happen, Trevor would obviously try and beat the guy to a pulp or something like it.

"T keep it PG-13 at best okay? No killing." He grinned and gave me a mock innocent look. "Best I can promise is to knock his teeth out and make him blow me. Deal?" I must've looked mildly disgusted as he pouted at me. "Then my mouth aint going no where near your dick then if he's sucking it. Bye, bye Gracie blowjobs T, think on that one." He let out a strained whine and squirmed in his seat. "But- but Grace! You do it just right with the teeth and that cute thing when you squeeze my bal-"

I cut him off quickly not wanting to hear it. "Think about it T." I sighed and shook my head as we sped towards Velvet, my feet wouldn't keep still and Trevor picked up on it. "I just wanna talk to him." I looked to him, "But-" He nodded. "I just wanna kill him." I frowned. "What?" He looked at me briefly. "I just wanna talk to him." I growled. "I mean it Trevor! No killing!" He patted the steering wheel with the beat of the song on the radio, clear psycho had kicked in and rationality had exited.

"Oh fuck me T seriously; just don't get us in trouble with the cops." He chuckled and grinned across to me. "The fucking comes when we get home Gracie." I watched him get out and go across to the side of the club where my stalker waited and waved across as he spotted me in the car revealing his identity to Trevor. He grabbed his collar and dragged him behind the club and I sat there waiting for any sign of life, not exactly relieved when Trevor re-appeared covered in blood.

"Now it's the time for fucking." He chuckled as he got in again and fastened his seatbelt taking off at top speed. "You killed him didn't you?" He shrugged. "Well I punched him until he didn't respond anymore, is that killing him?" My head drooped and I sighed. "Yes Trevor it is." He scoffed lightly as if it was news to him. "Grace, I have something to tell you...I might have killed him." The following laugh showed no remorse, my fucking psychopath boyfriend had murdered my stalker.

"Jesus fucking Christ T! You just murdered someone!" He slammed on the brakes and a car bleated its horn loudly as it just missed hitting us and swerved around us. "You know what we do Grace, you KNOW our lifestyle. You have one little problem with me killing some nobody then maybe you've come to the wrong people for help." My jaw hung unhinged as I stared at him in credulously. "FUCK YOU TREVOR! I'm putting YEARS of my life on the line to protect you thieving fucks!" He very slowly turned to me and growled.

"Get out of the car." I bit my lip and stood my ground. "No." He got closer and repeated himself as I gave my same answer. "If you're gonna hurt me, do it. I've endured years of getting beat to shit and if you kill me, hey! Maybe it'll be a bonus." He seemed a little taken a back and leant back eyes flaring with anger but face portraying smugness. "That fucking fire." He shook his head, a smug smirk on his face and carried on driving, admittedly I was a lil scared.

I watched the cold Ludendorffian scenery fly past, snow drifts piled upon one another like they were trying to be mountains, trees so lifeless and barren of greens you might mistake them for telephone poles. Everything here always felt so devoid of life as if anyone born here was born into hopelessness, some of us had dreams but most died here if it was from drugs, natural causes, it all felt so depressing, I longed to see lights, skyscrapers, maybe some day...

He slowed the car I'd notice, the silence almost becoming stifling as I analysed the surroundings around me, taking the time to think of how much I would never miss this place if I got to leave, well maybe eventually but whilst Frankie and Jade were still here this place wasn't 'Home' it was 'Hell'.

"I'm not gonna kill you, and we know you're doing this shit for your mom for us..." I laughed to myself as he brought me from my thoughts. "Is that the closest Trevor Philips gets to an apology?" He growled lightly and I patted his leg. "Thanks T." He grinned. "SO...how about a Grace suck off tonight? He still had his teeth." Rolling my eyes I nodded lightly. "Sure, as long as you have a damned shower, you fucking stink."


	9. Fuck The Cops

Chapter Nine

Fuck the Cops

Three months. Three months I had to steal drugs for that harlot of Satan, mark was starting to get weary of me I think, he'd take shorter breaks and had re-positioned some of the CCTV cameras, I hated having to betray his trust, he was a really good guy but I couldn't risk any harm coming to my little family and extended family.

"Grace...Stop there for a moment." I froze as I was about to sneak into the drugs section having thought Mark had gone on break to answer a phone call. "I've noticed some of the drugs have gone down quickly...know anything about that?" I looked at him and shrugged. "Well we have had a few new customers the past few months if that's what you mean?"

He slowly shook his head and lifted the phone. "I'm sorry to do this Grace...I have to tell the police." I could feel my heart palpitating in my chest, I know I'd joked about going to jail but I didn't really think this would happen. "Grace!" We both jumped and turned to look at the guy who'd entered the store he was roughly late 20's maybe early 30's and relied heavily on a cane, I'd seen a young woman like that come in for her medication, possibly a wasting disease sufferer?

"Thanks for picking up my pills for me the past few months; you have a really great employee there!" I tried to mask my confusion as Mark hung up the phone. "And who are you?" He stumbled across to the counter and displayed his prescription list; lo and behold every single type of drug I had stolen was on there. "Lester, Grace is somewhat of a family friend, she's been getting my prescriptions for me, see?" He showed Mark the list and threw me a look that said 'play along'.

This 'Lester' collected Jade's next bag of drugs from me and paid at the till throwing Mark a smile as he left. "Can I make sure he gets to his car okay?" Mark nodded quickly shooing me off. I rushed to help him through the door and to his vehicle where I found Trevor leaning against the side of his truck a cigarette dangling limply from his lips.

"The hell?!" He turned to us and grinned. "Hey! Nice work Lester." I blinked confused and looked between the two. "Lester Crest, heard a lot about you Grace." I nodded lightly. "I've heard nothing about you sorry..." He nodded. "The boys decided you were a little too young to meet me at the time, I'm the brains of the operations." I blinked lightly, "Too young?" Trevor huffed and patted Lester's shoulder. "Too young to bring you into any criminal activity he means."

I turned and shook Lester's hand hesitating a moment before just leaping onto him, embracing him tight. "Thank you so much, you have no idea how scared I was." He blinked and tensed up patting my back lightly. "Well you have Trevor to thank for that one..." He muttered under his breath, "Surprisingly." I grinned and cuddled up to Trevor kissing the space just under his chin affectionately. "Thanks T." He grinned and picked me up slinging me over his shoulder.

"T, I have to go back to work! Lemme down!" He carried me inside the store and grabbed my belongings. "She's fired." He remarked pointedly at Mark holding his hand out as if expecting an item, seemingly satisfied when Mark gave in opened the cash register and placed everything from inside into the intimidating man's palm. "Come on Gracie; let's get you outta here, these people thinking you're some kind of criminal, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!"

He slung me into the back seat of the truck as Lester slipped into the front and fastened his seatbelt. "Y'know, I like you Less." He gave me a look from over his shoulder. "I can see why you're with him, you're both crazy." I sighed and shook my head. "It's not every day that someone saves me from jail." He nodded in agreement and shrugged. "In that case you're welcome." He sorted through the bag and nodded lightly. "You actually have some of the pills I take in here."

We dropped the bag off at Jade's and quickly went home pulling up in the driveway, I helped Lester out and followed him inside pausing at the small embrace around my legs. "H-hey Trace..." I swallowed lightly and looked to Michael, the thoughts I'd had about this place would involve saying goodbye at some point, but was I ready to say goodbye yet?

I picked her up and took her to the chair with me plonking her down in my lap as I grabbed my hair bands and brush. "Lets get this mess nice and pretty, what have you been doing?" She giggled and wriggled around. "Playing with daddy in the snow!" I smiled across at her and brushed her hair out for her pulling them into cute tufty pigtails and putting a small braid in each side. I could hear Michael chuckle and watched him elbow Trevor in the side.

"Watch out T she's good, you might end up with one around soon, daddy Trevor!" He laughed and T went pale as a sheet and I blushed lightly in embarrassment, I didn't like him mocking me like that. "You can talk Michael, knocked my cousin up twice now." He laughed it off and picked Tracey up as she ran to him. "I'm just gonna go get changed." I kept my head down as I passed T.

"Grace?" Brad called after me after a few minutes and frowned. "Nice Michael, real cool there." Michael shrugged and took Tracey to the door, "I gotta go anyway Mandy's waiting for us." Trevor grunted in response obviously put off by Michael's earlier jesting. "I was joking T, jeez, lighten the fuck up." Trevor huffed and banged on my door.

"Grace!" He frowned and opened the door to find the empty room I'd left behind after I snuck out of the window, I didn't want to face him, even though it was a joke it kinda hurt to think someone I loved so deeply was almost offended at the thought of a family with me. I came across that building again, where Brad's friends worked. I came across Jade working, letting some guy fuck her up an alleyway whilst Frankie was buying booze in the adjoining shop.

"I need to get the fuck out of here..." I sighed to myself and jumped as a coat settled upon my freezing shoulders. "You should get home more like it." I frowned at Michael and pulled away. "Why did you have to say that to him? You freaked him out and now he probably won't even talk to me again." He laughed a lil and shook his head. "Grace it takes more than the prospect of a kid to stop him from fucking."

"You honestly think that's what the problem is?" I scoffed and stepped away looking over at the sleeping blonde in the car. "It's- it's the thought that he doesn't want me, he doesn't want me to be his family, mother to his kids, his wife, it didn't even fucking bother me until YOU brought it up!" He held his hands up in defence. "Okay! Fuck, you two are such fucking drama queens. If he didn't want you, do you honestly think you would've been together for all these years?"

I paused in my thoughts and watched as he strolled back to the car with a grin plastered on his face. "Night Grace!" I shook my head and started for the house when a familiar truck pulled into sight and I bit by lip keeping my head down as I headed that way. "WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?!" I paused and looked up to roughly about Trevor's neck. "I- I needed some air..." He growled and marched forward to meet me when he hesitated. "The fuck? Have you been crying?"

I shook my head weakly. "No, I was just cold." He pulled me to him, shrugging off his jacket and pulling it around my shoulders ushering me into the truck. "Hurry the fuck up and get in the car, it's warm." I sighed as I climbed inside and hung my head. "I'm sorry I freaked out T... just- ignore Michael, it doesn't matter what he says." He chuckled and leant in to kiss me.

"I don't give a fuck what Michael says, if it's what you want I'll give it to you. You know that." I huffed quietly to myself and shook my head slowly. "No, it's fine." We drove back in silence to find Lester having a small panic attack on the doorstep a couple of broken windows and a large patch of graffiti sprayed across in bright red lettering saying 'Slutty Whore', I knew who this was and evidentially they weren't going to leave me alone any time soon.

I growled and went over to console Lester in his partially shaken state. "I'll pay the damage T..." I helped Lester inside as Trevor went about patching the holes in the windows. "You aint giving me a penny, I'll get it off those fuckers." I sighed lightly and got Lester settled. "Need a tea or something? I got sweeteners as well as sugar and I buy the milk rest assured." He slowly calmed and nodded. "Tea, Milk, one sweetener please."

I nodded and put the kettle on desperately trying to hold it together, I couldn't work out if I wanted to kill them or burst into tears. So I promised myself, by the time I turned 20, Frankie and Jade would be out of my life. Permanently. Obviously Trevor was starting to rub off on me. I gazed around me and thought of my goals, I wanted to leave this place anyway right? Surely doing away with them would make this a better place.

I finished Lester's tea and sat with him on the sofa biting my lip. "How good are you at keeping secrets? Or is it a cash for silence basis?" He looked at me confused as he sipped at his tea. "If I needed to go away for a while...and stay completely off the grid, even T couldn't know, you wouldn't track me down for them and tell them...would you?" He frowned and put his cup down. "Grace, are you in trouble?" I sighed and shook my head. "No... But I might be."

He looked to Trevor having a tantrum outside, obviously getting frustrated with the window. "And why will you be?" I bit my lip lightly and hesitated. "They won't leave my family alone, so I'm gonna make sure they can't bother anyone again, they aren't nice people Less." We both jumped as the whole window shattered and very angry rambling came from the other side. "Fuck sake."

I looked at the card tucked into my purse and nodded. "I'll be on the run for a while I'm guessing... and I can't take him with me...I don't want him to worry or get involved, I can't risk it." He frowned lightly and spared Trevor's antics outside a glance before returning to me. "Why are you telling me this then?" I sighed and dropped my head. "They trust you, so... so do I, I get the feeling you know a lot more about me than you let on."

"Well obviously I do... do they know about the incident at school?" I glared lightly and looked away. "No, and they WON'T either." He scoffed. "Why not? They know about what happened to your little brother." I growled. "Trevor knows about it and Trevor knows what happened to me, don't push it." He raised his hands in defence and nodded. "But I haven't told them have I?" I sighed and slowly nodded. "Sorry, hypersensitive." He finished his tea and handed me the cup. "No harm."

I helped him outside to the car and nodded to him as T got in the car to drive him home, at least I'd have some time to think...to plan. I grabbed my appointment book from my bag and looked at the list of items brad's friends could get working around it. "Shoot them? No...too much noise, too obvious...torture them? Tempting but I think someone might notice..."

I stared down at my book and threw it away from me quickly, what the hell was I doing? "The fuck am I doing? I'm not seriously planning a murder- two murders..." I paced the room and my eyes fixated on the broken windows as I thought on these actions, Lester was pretty much okay with it and these people could get me my materials... "Fuck it, fuck them and fuck the cops. Its time for them to face what they've done." I picked up the book and flipped to the plotting page, drawing up my plan.


	10. Up In Flames

Chapter Ten

Up In Flames

I drank a tonne of beer, got myself delirious and came up with the cruellest part of my plan, those fuckers made me suffer, I was only returning the favour after all. I finished off my barely intelligible squiggle and flopped out on the bed staring up at the ceiling as a loud bang from the front door brought me out of my thoughts. "T?" He grunted in response and I nodded lightly sinking into the cotton blend sheets.

Lester and I had got fairly close over the past week or so, now I was privy to the jobs they were pulling I had more insight to what they were capable of and how much of a tight unit they were, a unit I wasn't part of and soon wouldn't be a part of anymore. It was killing me inside the thought of leaving them but this would be for the best, Jade wouldn't bother Amanda and Michael and their family, Frankie wouldn't keep trying to pick fights with Brad and they'd stop vandalising Trevor's stuff.

I sighed listening to him rooting around, since I had no job now since Carl had politely stated that Frankie was disturbing his customers and rough housing he had to let me go. I looked over at Toby's bear and placed a small kiss on its rough suede nose vowing to him where he was that they'd suffer for everything they did to us, come hell or high water nothing was getting in my way.

"Beer run." He grunted through the doorway and frowned walking over. "You okay?" I nodded lightly, "Toby would've been 11 now... he'd be gobby and hormonal, and he'd have us to look up to, cause havoc at school..." rubbing my forehead I smiled up at him. "Just don't ever leave me will ya?" He climbed on the bed and pulled me hard into him the musk of gunpowder and petrol rolling off him and adding to my dizziness. "You smell like crime."

He grinned down and rested his chin on my head. "Tell me the truth now; did you drink all the beer?" I nodded lightly. "Sorry, there's still some money on my card you can take it." He scoffed and got up. "You know I just got back from a job, you don't owe me shit Gracie." I sighed and cuddled into the pillow grimacing. "Stop wanking near the pillows they're all crusty." I threw the pillow onto his side and retrieved the other one finally allowed to sleep.

By the time I woke up it was light, I didn't really know what time it was until dipshit walked in. "The fuck you doing here Mikey?" He rolled his eyes and threw a bag at me. "T got you that, he wont be back tonight were jacking a store." I sighed and nodded lightly. "Thanks, now fuck off." He rolled his eyes and left slamming the door behind me leaving me alone again, I grabbed my phone and tempered across the buttons with my thumb.

I called the number on the card and stumbled over my words as they answered, "I umm... I need petrol, lots of it, a car and umm a fake drivers license...that's about it." They scoffed from the other end obviously thinking it was a joke. "Look I have people to fucking kill will you do it or not?" The sniggering ceased and a serious voice echoed down the line. "12k, you know where to drop it."

I sighed to myself and quickly vocalised my agreement. "Yeah, thanks." I hung up and grabbed my car keys, locking up and going to the location I'd stumbled on all that time ago, I stopped at a few ATM's on the way to collect the overall cash amount and stashed it into a sling bag dumping it on their doorstep and sitting inside my car watching the door carefully.

I watched them collect the bag and leave another in its place, I exited and ran over snatching up the bag mildly petrified but almost excited at the thought of getting my own back on those spiteful pieces of shit. There was a fake ID, a set of keys and a jerry can full of petrol tightly sealed. "Fuck, I can't believe this is real..."

I pushed the bag down into the foot well and thought about where I could stash it without anyone getting suspicious. "Somewhere like..." I grinned to myself and drove to the park stashing it in the front part of the car wreck mostly buried in snow. I nodded to myself returning to my car and driving back careful not to pass anywhere in particular as I pulled up, ran inside and jumped back into bed trying to will sleep before T returned.

I heard the door slam and jumped feigning sleep as if I was woken by his loud antics, rubbing my eyes lightly as I trailed out yawning. "Did you have to?" He grinned and rushed over grabbing my waist and hoisting me up to sit at his hips. "Okay...?" He gave a gruff chuckle and carried me back to the bedroom. "Go well then?" He sat me down carefully and flourished a wad of cash in my face. "Bit better than well Gracie." He grinned down at me and I smile sadly. "Great."

He frowned and tried to catch my gaze. "Turns out I aint so good for cash as I thought I was." He sighed and tucked the wad into my bra. "You were a stripper right? What about my special privileges'?" I glared and moved to take it out. "Don't make me sound like HER." He shook his head and grabbed my hands. "Ya aint ya mom Gracie." I sighed and leant my forehead against his shoulder. "Love ya T just- don't compare me with her." He chuckled next to my ear, "Never will Gracie."

I woke late morning the next day, fuck knows where the hell my bra went, hopefully not in his pocket again, I've lost 3 bras that way. I sat up slowly out of bed my sides still rather sore and there was money everywhere scattered across the floor, Jesus fucking Christ we knew how to be inconspicuous. He leant in the doorway in his underwear a slice of toast perched between his lips as he grinned at me.

I took one look at him and burst out laughing, "I hope for your sake that aint glued on." He gave me a fake mary sue look and looked down. "Closer you get to the target area the higher the bill." I grinned and immediately grabbed for his crotch, "Dun play games T, you want a handjob just fucking say it." He grinned and pulled a $20 bill from my hair.

"Jeeeeez feisty Gracie! I LOVE IT!" I smirked and worked him in my hand as he gripped my already sore sides. "T- don't you already fucking bruised me up." He rubbed them slowly obvious trying to be sensuous or calming but all it did was annoy me. I sighed when he finally came, his hands fisted in my shirt as I reached for a damned tissue. "T... when's your next score?" He seemed taken a back and shrugged.

"Can I enjoy the feeling of you hand fucking me a little longer before 20 fucking questions?" I nodded lightly and rested my head on his shoulder plucking off some more bills and giggling softly as he yelped in pain each time. "Told you not to use glue." He scoffed and hoisted me up to sit at his waist. "Fuck it. Worth it to make you smile Gracie."

I cuddled into him and smiled lightly. "Thanks T, luv ya." He stilled for a moment and slowly took his time replying like it was hard for him to admit. "Luv ya too Gracie." We fell asleep together on the sofa and I woke to the sound of my cell ringing, I answered and almost gagged at the noise on the other end, some weird slurping suction-y noise that was obviously of the non hygiene kind.

"Ugh fuck-" I blinked lightly and thought on where I recognised the voice from. "Hurry it up baby." I wanted to be sick, Michael? The giggle that followed was definitely NOT Amanda. "Michael?" The noises stopped at the sound of my voice and a quick gasp ended the call. Lying fucking cheating fucking- I didn't have an appropriate word for him.

I slung some of my stuff in a bag and punched the wall, hard. Was everyone around here fucked up?! And T... I knew T's antics weren't exactly straight up but surely he wouldn't cheat on me right? He forced that guy at gunpoint...what else had he done? I shook my head dismissing the cloud of negative thoughts and went to grab a drink checking a text that gave me directions to my getaway car.

This was really happening... I was leaving this place behind, leaving T... Jesus this is gonna be hard. I'd managed to get a zip code from Trevor when he was high, he didn't remember telling me which was handy but at least now I knew where to go, over the boarder to his family in Canada, if all went to plan I'd be able to contact him eventually and tell him the news.

I looked at my packed bag and shoved Toby into the corner, carefully avoiding the zip as I slipped into some suitable clothes, a few hours earlier we were laughing and fucking and now... I needed to keep a clear head, think straight a way that didn't mean jail. I slung the bag over my shoulder and grabbed my keys, leaving my car and house keys behind, the door was a self lock after all and I wouldn't be coming back any time soon.

The blood racing through my veins was driving me on, solely surviving on the adrenaline alone now, I was scared shitless I won't lie, but I couldn't help but feel reluctant in the back of my mind, not about killing them but what I'd be leaving behind. I grabbed my bag from the car wreck in the park and got to my getaway car, settling inside and getting a feel for it, taking my time before driving off towards the house that caused hell.

Street was quiet, neighbours were either out or too fucking high or drunk to care, I grabbed the jerry can and smiled at T's lucky lighter I had tucked into my bra. I slipped into the house through the back door and carefully manoeuvred my way around, Frankie was out cold in the living room and as I approached upstairs I could see Jade was out of it on the bed, needles wedged into her arm as she giggled in her sleep.

I crept into my old bedroom, looking at the state the room had become, I sloshed the petrol over the bed, my hands lightly quaking and splashing some of it back at me, I lead the path out of the room making sure to cover HER and the other rooms as I lead the trail downstairs and into the living room dousing Frankie in the substance until he was soaked.

I finished off in the kitchen and switched on the gas to add a little extra explosive to the place and brought the trail outside I used a stick and lit it with T's lighter throwing it to the trail and running to my car, speeding off as quickly as the engine allowed only pausing to watch the house blow up in my rear view mirror. I stashed the jerry can carefully once I'd reached a safe area; I took off my hoodie the stink of petrol overwhelming.

I almost regretted not sticking around if not for the satisfaction of watching the fuckers' burn then at least to say a proper goodbye but I couldn't, I just couldn't. I wiped down the jerry can whilst wearing gloves and buried it under the snow near the giant beaver and managed to catch a glimpse of flames before the sound of sirens shook me from my thoughts.

I got in the car and I sped away, crossed the border to my new life and I didn't even say goodbye, they'd think I was dead or something but maybe T would use his common sense if his rage didn't win out. I was leaving all of it behind, and I was never going back. I was gonna see the Vinewood sign, the Statue of Happiness in Liberty City, all of it; I wanted to see all of it, if I could.

Canada would be great, I thought it would be anyway, with T's crazy family I'd be well set, I'm still not sure if I mean that sarcastically or not... But still Frankie and Jade were dead and I got my new life just like I wanted all these years, just not with the one I wanted to be with... Happy Birthday to me.


	11. Target

Chapter Eleven

Target

Looking up Trevor's family once I crossed the border was no easy task. I looked up the name 'Philips' in nearly every phone book, tried most houses under the zip code he gave me and came up with nothing, I felt a little less guilty now I knew he lied to me. Asshole. I managed to secure myself a room for a week at the nearest motel and kept to myself trying to figure a plan.

I had a couple of days meandering, taking in the rolling hills of green mixed with a sprinkling of snow, the nice people, the great cuisine, honestly I could easily settle down here maybe have some sort of a-... wait need a man for that. I checked into my room and sprawled out on the half sprung bed, flicking on the lil analogue TV and watched a few of the cops' shows that came on, opting out of reality TV.

I spent a couple of days looking out for a job, watching the Ludendorff news every chance I got. "Today was the funeral service for the victims Frankie and Jade Colins and their daughter Grace, earlier the daughter's ex boyfriend Trevor Philips was removed from the service by police after excreting faeces in Mr and Mrs Colins grave." I smiled to myself as the news finally moved on to talk about how the fire department thought the blaze may have started.

"Heh, heavy smoker my right fucking tit." I sighed to myself as I watched Trevor's gaze on the screen, it was so... lost? Like he couldn't comprehend exactly what was going on, honestly I wish I could just call him and tell him everything but not whilst I was still a suspect. I turned off the TV and started to appreciate the feeling of being free, I mean it sucked that I wouldn't see T anymore but to know I wasn't going to be harassed any minute or fired for being blackmailed, it felt good.

I stroked Toby's nose and thought of my little brother, I hadn't just gotten even for me but for the both of us. They cut his life short so I cut theirs short... Newton's 3rd law, only the part about equivalent exchange. My thoughts drifted around Toby, how would this have played out if he was still alive? Would we have got revenge together? End up dead together? What would he be like? Would he love guns like me? Or cars?

I squeezed the bear hard and tucked him back in my case opting to wonder around this motel I temporarily called home. The bathroom in my room was crap, consisted of a grimy toilet a dead goldfish couldn't be flushed down and a shower that looked as if it had accumulated at least 4 years worth of dead skin, yah I cleaned those first.

The room itself wasn't bad, the sheets were cotton fresh and fairly clean, the half sprung mattress was comfy enough and the TV was good, lighting was a little to be desired but I couldn't argue. The creamy floral walls were obviously half priced paper from a U-Tool or at least second hand stolen from a decaying shack, who knows?

A loud moaning and heavy squeaking caught me off guard, I mean I knew couples stayed over a night to fuck but did they have to be so god damn loud? I scoffed and grabbed my purse venturing outside and exploring around the other rooms until I noticed one had left a crack open, I couldn't help but be nosy I mean this is fucking Canada there's no way in hell this was gonna be- wait- no- Trevor's an argument against that maybe I shouldn't.

I peered inside the crack and noticed a large case showing off some kind of rifle, it piqued my interest and I started pushing the door ever so slightly, a light creak almost gave me away and I sighed in relief when I didn't hear anyone come to investigate, that was until the barrel of a gun nuzzled into my neck. "Don't say a word, go inside." I hesitated and nodded quickly as I heard the safety click off; I hurried inside and looked at the heavy sniper with nothing but admiration.

"She's beautiful..." He hesitated as he sat me down on the bed. "If you rape me it won't make a blind bit of difference." He scoffed and shook his head. "Fuck off, like I want to rape a damn kid." I growled. "I'm not a kid!" He laughed and patted my head. "Sure kid. Now... why the sneaking around? Anyone pay you to look?" I shook my head. "I just got into town, I'm staying in one of the rooms while I look for a place."

He scoffed and moved to sit in front of me, I won't deny he was kind of handsome in a mature way, he reminded me of a father figure rather than boyfriend material. "Now you seen my face means I have to kill you." I gasped and shook my head heavily. "You sat in front of me! I had no choice in seeing you!" He chuckled and tilted his head. "You were looking at my gun, you like guns?" I nodded.

"Used to run with a group, well more like they ran I was the arm candy, but man I fucking loved his guns." He smiled in approval and looked at my hands. "How'd you burn them?" I hesitated and looked at the closed locked door thinking of how this guy really couldn't exactly be on the side of the law. "The gun's a heavy sniper aint it? A modified scope?" He looked impressed and chuckled. "Man I think I can guess now-" I looked at him and bit my lip.

I wanted a friend, now's better time than any. "You aint exactly a cop so I'm thinking, a merc?" He shrugged. "Guess you could say that-" I but in. "I killed my parents." He blinked taken a back and furrowed his brow. "They- they killed my little brother, made my life a living hell, used me raped me-" He crouched in front of me and put his hands on my shoulders to steady me as I realised I was crying.

"Sh-sh-sh-sh... calm down. Sounds like they got what was coming to them to me..." I nodded. "Toby-... my baby brother, he was 2 and my dad pushed him down the stairs, everything was bent and I couldn't save him." He patted my shoulder and sighed. "You look like you could use a drink." I hesitated at this guys kindness, I should be suspicious right? "Look you found my fucking gun you got dirt on me, I got dirt on you, least now I don't have to kill ya."

I looked at his gun and reached out slowly to brush my fingertips against it when a card landed in my lap, a name and a number on it, no details just name and number. "Arthur... Nice to meet you, I'm Grace." He shook my outstretched hand and laughed. "I guessed, I watch TV too ya know? The person you look like ya miss, that the guy who shat in the grave?" I nodded quickly. "Yeah, Frankie harassed me and Trevor for years, Trevor weren't fond of them to say the least."

He chuckled and nodded. "Sounds like my Carol." He hesitated. "She didn't like a lot of things and she voiced her fucking opinion about it too, rubbed off on our son. He was a mouthy little thing. Well... I say little." I hesitated and pried a little. "You talk about them like... like they're gone too." He took a breath and downed his scotch shoving one into my hands.

"They are. I got sloppy one day and some mob guy got to them, seems my life was worth more than a few million dollars, the highest bidder won out and he killed them and left the evidence for me to find. It was a warning I should have listened to." I bit my lip and lowered my head. "I'm so sorry..." He shrugged and sat next to me. "Okay spill. What did they do to you, apart from killing your brother." I glared at him. "Does there need to be anything other than that?!"

He nodded. "It was a vendetta, it was personal, they did something TO you not something to upset you." I lowered my head slowly. "I don't want to say... not yet." He nodded slowly as I downed my scotch. "It's late; you should go get some sleep." I nodded lightly. "You need anything you come to me, got it? Cops after you, you come to me I drive them away, you get arrested I was never here, got it?" I sighed in acceptance. "The usual then, yeah I got it. Thanks Arthur."

It took a few weeks to finally settle down, since I was a fugitive and Arthur needed a good cover story he took me in, let me stay in his room, and introduced me as his daughter whenever we were away from the room. The real surprise was the night I accidentally called him 'daddy' for real as I woke up. He finally got to hear my story and he still looked at me with kind eyes.

"Jesus, those sons of bitches really did a number on you didn't they...?" He looked down at me with pity as he drooped an arm around me pulling me to him. "You don't have to grow up if you don't wanna Gracie. You want me to be ya daddy I will be, I won't do to you what they did. I'm here for you. Got it?" I found family away from family, and it was great.


	12. Education

Chapter Twelve

Education

Funny enough, after Arthur noticed my keen interest in guns he decided he may as well make use of me as I wanted to be useful to him. He kept trying to teach me how to hold a rifle properly, how to deal with the kickback and getting used to using a scope whilst out hunting, I wont deny it was good practice. I looked at the photo on the screen of my phone, T's fiery chocolate eyes starting back at me, god I missed him...

"You can't look back Grace, not if you want to protect them, its better they think you died in that fire, at least that way they won't get hurt." I nodded lightly at his words. "Thanks for the advice dad I just... miss him... a lot." He nodded and patted my shoulder. "You're a big girl Gracey, I'm sure he's just fine, he probably moved on and got himself a family of his own." I sighed and nodded. "I hope so."

He smiled lightly at me and adjusted my aim, "Right see this is where it gets tricky, it's a moving target so you're going to have to learn to anticipate, analyse the direction they're travelling, predict the movement, aim ahead and..." He squeezed my finger over the trigger and I laughed in disbelief. "He basically walked into the bullet!" He nodded and patted my head lightly.

"Remember that one, another lesson is, if you get caught in a sticky situation with the cops, ALWAYS watch for a sniper first, you take out their cover you help out your ground crew or cover your own ass." I nodded lightly noting the advice and the police response unit below. "How do we get out of this one then?" He grinned, "I was waiting for you to ask that. Come on, keep low." I followed after him, keeping as low as possible and blinked at the roof access.

"Isn't that a little obvious?" He laughed, "Yeah it is, that's why we aren't taking the stairs but we have 2 minutes until the police burst up here using them, so we take the ladder." I went down first, the least suspicious of us 2 and looked around casually, beckoning up to him that the coast was clear. "Come on dad." We walked side by side away from the crime scene and into our beat up lil car, back to our life at the motel.

"If... if I hadn't of joined you, do you think you'd still be alone, or get a girlfriend?" He scoffed. "To busy that for that darlin', you're all the family I need, my lil legacy, we'll train you up good and send you out into the world, you can keep the chaos under control then I can retire." I laughed. "Please, I'll never be as good as you." He scoffed lightly waiting at the lights. "Never say never Gracie."

We got lunch on the back to the motel, sitting up on the roof watching the world pass by around us. "It's like an entirely different world sometimes isn't it?" He paused and looked at me. "The hell do you mean?" I sighed. "Like there's no real activity is there? No going out drinking and fucking, no 9 till 5 job to pay taxes, hell- no taxes even!"

He laughed and nudged my shoulder. "This is a whole different life Gracey, the world is your oyster but it's also your downfall." I nodded and leant my head against his shoulder, finishing the last of my burger. "I always wanted to see the city lights of Los Santos... or the Statue of Happiness in Liberty City... I suppose now I'm a fugitive-" He tossed a passport in my lap and grinned. "You're my little girl. Gracelyn Moore, check it."

"You're kidding..." I stared down at the most genuine item of ID I'd ever owned. He adopted me, the fucker fucking adopted me. Words couldn't describe how happy I was, cleansed of that fucking life and having an actual future to look forward to. "Arthur... I dunno what to say..." He shrugged and sipped at his E-Cola. "Thanks might be a good place to start." I tackled him, didn't care about the fucking drinks going everywhere I just hugged him.

My parents had fucked me over, fucked me and destroyed the first part of my life, but this- this was a second chance and I wasn't gonna fuck it up, not lightly anyway. "Thanks dad." He laughed. "That actually applies now it aint weird no more." I punched his arm and smiled to myself. I sighed to myself thinking of Trevor again when a thought occurred to me, I did still have someone I could trust back in Ludendorff. "Fuck!"

I scrambled to my feet and ran for the roof access. "Where are you going?!" I grinned back. "To call Lester!" He paused and got up to look at me. "Who the fuck is Lester?!" I heard called out to me as I fled down the stairs, aiming for a payphone. I dialled from the number on my cell phone's screen and tapped my foot keeping an eye on the phone balance. "Who is this? Stop calling this number!" I frowned. "Listen, I don't have much time, just tell me... how is he?" There was a pause. "Grace?"

I sighed lightly. "Less, how is he, I got 10 seconds left." He sighed. "Drugs, sex, and drink; only about 30 times worse, how did you expect him to be? Times up bye Grace." I looked away as I hung up the phone. So he was terrible, or having the time of his life. I made my way back up to the room and settled into bed. Arthur trudged in and looked over at me for a minute, "Not good news?" I shook my head lightly and carried on watching TV.

"They'll be okay eventually..." He turned out the light and locked the door after him as he left, leaving me alone with my thoughts. "I'll go with him...when he leaves..." I fell asleep quite easily that night and I made a promise to myself. Don't dwell on the past, look forward, not back. It wouldn't be easy but I guess I could get used to it... I had to be used to being a murderer too.

We spent a few months moving around to different areas, I'd met a few of Arthur's bosses in that time, a couple of them were fairly decent people, well, decent for criminals. A few of Arthur's friends took to me quite well complimenting me on my aim and calling me a 'natural'. I had Arthur to thank for that at least. We got stuck out in the middle of nowhere in one job and to be fair, it was fucking ridiculous how far he needed us to go to complete this job before we could leave.

Arthur was in the middle of setting up when I noticed something glinting in the light, we had the billboard rule, conserve your presence, this guy was being a right fucking dick. But those were all the moments that needed to pass before the sound of gunfire tore through the air and Arthur fell on his side and the case fell a little ways away from his side, he had no fucking cover and I was his only fucking back up. "ARTHUR!"

"Its okay Gracie, you just keep back there." I shook my head and looked at all the blood. "I'm not leaving you!" He smiled and slid the case across to me. "Get out, now." He sat up and I bit my lip ripping the gun out of its case and quickly using the mounted scope to spot the shooter. "Dad, I see him! Hold on!" my fingers trembled as they fumbled to find the right holdings, shaking heavily as I tempered the trigger and spotted him reloading, now or never.

I took a slight breath and took the shot as I breathed out watching as blood sprayed up, that was it, I dashed to Arthur's side and had his arm around my neck faster than I could comprehend, I dragged him behind cover and took off my jacket, pressing it against the wound as a compress. "Hang in there dad, I'll get you through this I swear." I grabbed the gun and disassembled it back into its case, swinging it across my shoulders and helping him up, his 48 year old fitter form slightly straining against my 23 year old small form.

"Gracie..." I growled. "Shut up! If I can survive all my shit, you can survive this!" I slung him in the back seat using the seatbelt to keep pressure applied; he was getting real pale real fast. "Think, think, think..." I drove as fast as physically possible without putting us both through a concrete barrier. "Hospital..." I read the signs and fast approaching the large building I sighed in relief. "Hang on Arthur!" I abandoned the car outside, dragging him inside with me as I collapsed in the middle of A&E slumped down under his body, the blood spilling out to drench me. "HELP NOW!"

There was a lot of screaming, I think I was arrested and released after they figured I was his daughter, the surgeon kept trying to usher me out of the room but eventually got tired as I laid next to Arthur's hospital bed, waiting for him to wake, but he was alive that's all I cared about. A few days after the nurse complained at the fact I'd near enough set up home in the room, I told her to go suck a cactus, she wasn't impressed.

"So...how was your first solo kill?" The weak voice startled me and a grin split my features. "Fuck you old man, you scared the hell outta me." He chuckled lightly that turned into a coughing fit, grabbing the water from the table I placed the cup to his lips and encouraged him to drink. "Damn Arthur I see why you do it. The thrill of it, I was shaking so badly and I still hit him, I still hit the fucker."

He grinned across to me and winced lightly. "You may as well take her then." I hesitated and looked him over. "But- you're gonna be fine dad, don't be stupid." He chuckled and shook his head. "No Gracey, I gotta job to do in LC, I'll have to leave as soon as I'm back on my feet." I bit my lip, this couldn't be happening, my mentor, my DAD, couldn't leave me! "You kinda cinched it for me; I'm leaving you my LS contracts. I wanted to have a formal job to see if you could do it but you really showed me."

I sighed to myself and rested my head on his leg. "I wish you didn't have to go..." He sighed and moved to pat my head. "I know Gracey... you better go pack, I'll make sure you're set up well before I go." I kissed his forehead and grabbed the car keys, making sure I had my belongs with me and cleared out most of the guns that had been tuned to me or belonged to me. "Hello?" I paused in the doorway as Arthur's boss called me.

"I'll send someone to escort you to your new lodgings." I left with them and found it hard to look towards a future without Arthur, made all the worse when I found out the following month that Arthur had been taken out in Liberty City and now his contracts fell to me. All of his bosses, all of his work, they didn't give me time to mourn him; they just gave me a location he was buried in and shipped me out to his contracts next location. Liberty fucking City, finally I'd get to see that damn statue.

I took the first couple of weeks out to mourn Arthur and get some feel for the place, made slightly better when a friendly voice called. "Hey." I smiled lightly. "Less... how are you?" He seemed quiet... "We're planning a job, a big job I guess, well bigger than we usually score-" He went quiet for a moment and huffed. "Why are you in Liberty City?" I scoffed lightly pacing my room. "I wanted a change of scenery."

He made a light coughing noise and I frowned, his health was deteriorating. "Oh... I guess you're going to look up your cousin then." Pausing I frowned at my phone a moment. "Less, Amanda's in Ludendorff right?" He huffed at me as if I said something dumb. "Yes Grace." I pulled a face and flopped out on my sofa. "Then answer me this." He sniffled. "What Grace?" I bit my lip lightly. "What fucking cousin?"

Lester's laugh echoed down the line and I growled at his mockery. "Tell me Less!" He grunted as he informed me of an Uncle I'd never known, Frankie's brother named Douglas and a cousin named Ashley, apparently arrested many times and a serial drug addict, well look the fuck at that, it runs in the fucking family. Whoo fucking hoo.


	13. Liberation

Chapter Thirteen

Liberation

Despite the somewhat infested room, covered in weird kinds of artwork, this place wasn't half bad. I managed to track down where this Ashley girl lived, and found a bit of an interesting thing, motorcycle gangs. The Lost they called themselves, apparently she was fucking one of the higher up members, whatever the fuck that meant. Maybe I'd track her down in between contracts for this dude, uh Anthony Prince apparently.

I completed contracts every now and again, trying my best avoid the drug scene, I was NOT going there again, getting clean once was hard enough. I caught up with Ashley eventually, gave her some cash to get some decent food and drink, surprise surprise she took off with some guys and used it to get high. I met the boyfriend Johnny K, he was a decent enough guy, cant say he took much of a liking to me but I wasn't there for the boyfriend to like me.

I looked her over disgusted as she reached out for me. "Cousin Grace!" I pulled back from her, the rifle case on my back swaying with the motion as I watched her hit the floor. "Get a fucking grip you addict. You got a guy who fucking loves you, enough to put up with your fucking shit." He wasn't impressed but I guess he silently agreed with my words, good guy.

I ended up running a few jobs with Johnny, ironically enough I was slowly moving between the rings of 'Protection' and 'Assassination' simultaneously, Liberty City's a great way to fuck up your priorities ya know? During my employment in LC I have to admit, there were some people I'd miss when I finally had to leave, me and Johnny had somewhat of an understanding, Ash was family, he was family by extension and we both had her best interests at heart.

I left them enough money to do whatever they needed to do, buy drugs, get fucked or drunk as anything, I didn't really care, Johnny was a good guy but Ash, she'd end up getting him fucking killed. Vice City was next on the list, one of Arthur's old contacts had a few contracts lined up for me, a few in protection, mild body guard work I guess, it wasn't all that bad, I missed Arthur like fuck but his guns were my guns now, they still had his markings, his ticks and tuning. To say I missed would be a massive, massive understatement.

There were the odd bits of news on the line over; Vice City was probably a little less than what I'd imagined but what the hell, work was work for fuck sake. True to my word, I kept in contact with Johnny and wired him cash for Ash when he needed it, she like a fucking parasite, I didn't understand why he stayed with her. I had to concentrate on these damn contracts whilst I still had the chance before I'd need to resurface in Los Santos.

I poised myself against the billboard, kept hidden by its shadow as I watched the people milling around with their daily lives below, the black limousine pulled up outside the hotel and the two burly escorts exited first, sweeping the area before opening the door a second time for my mark to step out. I took the shot, a slightly harder angle since I had to shoot through the body guard, but I hit my mark, like always.

My bones ached like no tomorrow, I'd been on the road a few days now and it felt like I was ready to collapse flat on my face, my stamina was good but deprived of 36 hours sleep had its time enough to grate on me. Vice City was... interesting to say the least, a new set of contacts had come in from Las Venturas and San Fierro so I'd be off again soon.

Johnny had thanked me for the excess cash I'd gifted him on top of the cash for Ashley, hell the guy deserved it, patience of a freaking saint to deal with my family's ilk. I carefully prodded at a bullet wound in my side once I got back to my car, that's what you get for playing decoy with the mafia apparently, you almost get whacked, well the decoy almost gets whacked. Naturally I ignored it, stitched it, and left it, as per usual.

I'd been using Arthur's phone for work, as his protégé I was included in some of his contracts, extra plane tickets when travelling, extra food at hotels, not all of this life was grungy motels and backed up toilets. Some of the contacts knew me, gave their condolences and sent me jobs; others chewed me out and begrudgingly gave me the jobs anyway.

Though operating under the name 'Cerberus' has both its pros and cons, most people assumed that I was male so eventually I just kinda played along. Got myself kitted out in some new gear for sniper work and some formal wear for protection, and anything the client needed as a decoy. To be honest, it was a good way to live, to a degree, there were the occasional stray bullets that hit or the odd interrogation but I survived.

Some of the work in Vice City was good, a few of the guys Arthur worked for were assholes and that was putting it nicely. A few gang population culls ordered by Mitch Baker, as I understood it he was the leader of a biker gang, turf meant nothing to me, cold blood and hot cash does, oh and sex, lots of sex. Strings of one night stands are fun, so much fun, drunken hazes and all that, as long as you're careful of course. That's why two particular clients were SO much fun to guard.

A few bodyguard and protection jobs came my way every now and again, my favourites were roughly 2 months apart and protecting them was... well interesting doesn't cover it. Mercedes Cortez had an interesting way of repaying me for my hard work and Candy Suxxx... does that really need an explanation? Some laundering and handling as well as transportation of cash was a nice run, easy money, decent job, and Kent Paul wasn't such a bad guy.

It didn't take long for contacts to get impatient and the name 'Cerberus' had spread like wildfire, there were tags on the wall with my logo, hell even people with my number were happy to say they knew me, I was fast becoming popular so overall it was better I leave, first plane to San Fierro saw to it that I didn't keep clients waiting and my favourite kind of hotels were scattered around. I loved my life!

The Triads were my first encounter, friendly bunch...couldn't understand a word they said but I could understand the cash they flashed. I have to admit I spent my first 24 hours laughing at the dude's name, I mean Ran Fa Li? Seriously? Cruel parents. They inflated my bank account a fir bit, planned assassinations, gang pest control and 'illegal trading' were starting to become a pass time instead of a job, it was all I ever did now, and Cerberus was more sought after than ever.

Odd jobs were nice too, promotional and protection work were rare but welcomed, easy money for me peace of mind for them, simple really. A couple of guys came to me wanting to get away from the gang life, to be honest I was happy to help out, Cesar Vialpando and Kendl Johnson were trying straight work as they owned the garage and wanted to away from their past, easy work easy money I suppose.

Sniping was what made my heart soar though, every time I touched Arthur's rifle, I thought of the thrill, the chase, watching the prey through my scope and happily extinguishing their life before my eyes was so fucking exhilarating, psychopath? Me? Well... maybe. Strings of contacts were flocking from all over, contacts from Los Santos, Liberty City and Las Venturas were surfacing in large numbers, who was I to say no?

The Triads had use for me in Las Venturas, and the most flux of contracts were coming from that way, why the fuck was it Liberty City had such fuck ups when I'd cleaned up not that long ago, Ashley was getting worse by all accounts from Johnny, poor dude, and this upcoming guy needed me on his roster, some guy nicknamed Gay Tony, hm, wonder why?

Travelling to Las Venturas wasn't too bad, having the Chinese Mafia vouching for you at customs is apparently the best way to carry weapons on planes, who'd of thought? They had a lot of use for me in security work so I had to train more using my physical self; I even took up kick boxing for a while. Don't try it. Not worth it. Even Tai Chi was exhausting, and yoga... no, just, just no.

To be honest boxing was the best way to get round to training, my stamina was healthy despite the nicotine intake, I had cut down I swear, Below The Belt was working me into shape in no time, jogs at 4:00am and 10:00pm were helping raise my fitness level, I was probably in the best shape of my life, well apart from daily workouts with Trevor of course.

Random assassination assignments had me busy for a while on top of the odd jobs for the Triads, and there was call for me in Los Santos now, anonymous numbers appearing and well known names that I was dubious of getting involved with, considering the guy was a bit of a prick and come on he really had to be a prick for that assumption.

With more hand to hand training it made body guarding easier and briefly working as a bouncer gave me more chances to put my training to good use, it was almost like have a split identity, Grace Moore and Cerberus. Money was good, well better than good if you count septuple digits, being good, I know for a fact I did, I could afford better upkeep for my guns, a better armoury, fitted with some sticky bombs for the odd stress relief.

I'd paid off the odd guy in regards to business, cops were easy to bend once you had an in, I got real close with the chief for a while...not in THAT way of course, money speaks louder than any fuck. The Triads were useful for a time until the contracts rolled in again, 'accidental deaths', assassinations, flat out murder, bait n switch, the whole damn caboodle.

Flat out murder was the hardest, having to pretend to be someone else or take the wrap for them, id had my fair share of prison bus rides, close calls were the annoying bits when some bozo decides 'hey, lets blow up the bus with sticky bombs!', it took me a month to grow my hair out properly again, asshat. Note to self, get a fairly responsible team, not a bunch of twats and pussys.

I supposed I wanted to settle eventually but any guy that showed interest just seemed to 'meh' to me, they were either too well groomed, too calm, too sober, too sensible, never HIM, I wanted, in reality, I wanted him. My glances turned to Grace Colins' phone and my hands almost itched to reach out and grab it. What if he'd changed his number? I refrained from turning it on but I could never bring myself to get rid of my last tie to my old life, I just didn't want to give it up.

" ? The car's waiting." I smiled across at the hotel manager and gaze him a dazzling smile. "Thank you Reupert." I checked my appearance and reflected the same dazzling fake smile in the mirror at myself. Hell this was gonna be one heck of a party after all. I arrived at the casino, Triads milling around and my target for the night milling around the table.

"Well hell-o mister, don't you scrub up well?" Austin chuckled at me and linked his arm with mine. "Didn't honestly think after Vice City I wouldn't come looking for ya did ya?" I smirked lightly batting my eyelashes flirtatiously. "Of course not! I'm like smoke on a breeze Aussy boy." He rolled his eyes and leant into me slightly his blonde hair flopping to side in its slicked back state. "It's weird not seeing you in sunglasses and a bow tie." He laughed and nudged me. "It's weird seeing you in a red cocktail dress, who paid for the diamonds?" I grinned. "That's all me honey."

He smirked and left my side to grab drinks taking with a petite blonde at the bar, I shook my head lightly and turned in time to see a flash of white and for a drink to reach my hand. "It's time you moved on isn't it?" I smiled to myself and nodded. "I'm glad to have been of service." He nodded in reply and vanished, jeez these Triad dudes were always so serious when it came to people that could kill them...

Next morning well, still technically the same morning seeing as I got in at 1:00am and I had to jump on my flight at 4:00am, this time they were keen to have me, limo driven service to the airport and taken to a private hangar, no customs checks and a plane to myself, Jesus when did you receive my letter about heaven on earth? I was pampered on my flight to Liberty City, strawberries and cream and plied with champagne with optional catch up services for my itinerary. Heaven I tells ya!

I got off the plane and first thing to assault my senses was that familiar scent, god I loved the smell of sleaze and death in the morning. I called Johnny, arranged a little get together to check on his progress with my deranged cousin, or was I the deranged one? It felt weird finding out the first class treatment was a Thirtieth birthday present; at least my clients damn well appreciated me.

I met up with Johnny in a bar, he looked fucking wrecked. Tired I think is the better word, healthy but tired, dealing with my pain in the ass cousin had almost become a pass time for him and I felt guilty, I paid the tab and gave him something extra for himself, what can I say? I liked the guy. My contracts were the same old same old but this lovely woman in the apartment next to mine, had a young daughter.

Not only that but she was also pregnant and hell the bruises on her skin made her my problem when I could hear her fuck for brains husband beating her up at night. I wouldn't stand for it, not now not ever. Especially if he ever started on that little girl. I befriended her, gave her little tokens of kindness, I bought the kid's medicines, clothes, toys, pretty much anything I could for them. The husband was a smack head so any cash flow in was going up his fucking nose and it was Georgia and Kaitlen that suffered.

One day I took her aside and seriously asked her, "Do you love your husband?" she was a half breed Mexican and her daughter's skin showed bruises clearer than hers but the purple and black on her skin fucked me the hell off. "Not anymore." Was all the answer I needed, I set up a bad deal, spiked the coke and made sure that fucker died, on my way out I made sure Georgie and Kaitie had enough money that they were set for life, I hoped she'd be happy again one day.

I made friends with a weird gangbanger on Lifeinvader, he was a sound enough dude but fucking hell was he living in the past, or a fantasy world not really bothered which, he was fucking delusional but adorable, bless him. He wanted to meet and I was more than happy to oblige him.

This was it, this was my out. Time to appease old contracts, the contracts of Los Santos.


	14. Change Of Coast

Chapter Fourteen

Change of Coast

I switched on my media player on my iFruit phone and Neon Indian blasted out Change of Coast, as we flew over LS I managed to sneak a look out of the window, marvelling at the sandy beaches and tennis courts, fast cars racing over the freeway and the jet skiers playing in the sea. Man, I was gonna love it here. Passing through customs was easy enough, "Get off on touching up women?" he grinned and laughed to himself. "I prefer patting down the men."

I grinned back and handed over my phone and earrings, stepping through the metal detector and taking back my possessions the other side, boarding the plane didn't take too long and the take off was fairly smooth. I'd already sent my bag ahead of me so my weapons would be untraceable through customs, thank god for common sense. I strolled through the airport and followed the exit signs, pushing the door open and spotting the guy standing at the end, single red rose in hand.

"Goddamn girl, you fine as a motherfucker!" I raised an eyebrow at him and he stumbled on his words he handed me the rose. I looked around for a bin or something; he wasn't my lover for fuck sake. "Oh I mean...I mean that like not in a stalker type way or nothing. I'm just, I'm just saying like, you do look good." I threw the rose aside and looked at him watching the place I'd thrown the flower; you could see him forming his next words carefully.

"You know, you know we've been friends online for so long. You know, it's time for us to take our relationship little bit further...you know like...in like...a sexual way or something." Or not. I stepped back from him raising my hands and pointing away from me. "Oh, my bad, it aint like that. Excuse me, you know?" He held up his face with a slightly confused look on his face as he took a step back.

"Fuck it, that's neither here nor there." He swatted his arms down and turned to walks back the car, getting in the drivers side. "Despite your rejection, I'm still gonna help you get settled in, baby. You know? You might not be the flowers type girl but I got something else for you." He leant down as I got in and shut the door, sitting back up with a simple pistol.

"Pah-yow. Welcome to Los Santos. Untraceable. Give me a tongue kiss..." I held the gun up, raised my eyebrows as I turned to him to prove my 'hands off' point. "My bad, okay? Let's go." he started the engine and watched me a moment as I looked the gun over. We pulled away from the airport and drove under the underpass, heading for what I guessed would be the city.

"Say baby, it's a gang of opportunities in Los Santos. I mean, that's if you got the nuts...or the...you know... your boy know people all over the city." I nodded lightly, watching the city lights from out the window. "And my boy, Simeon, you know, he the best bullshit artist in town, with his bullshitting ass." I scoffed lightly, he was trying to impress me? Will take you more than contacts to impress me sweetie.

"And my boy G, or any of the homies from families, baby, you straight. Matter of fact, ima run you to Hao's right now 'cause he might get you a little race or something. You know what I'm talking about? You like cars right? Yeah, put up a little wager, you know? I got my money on you baby, I got a lot of shit on you." He paused and bobbed his head lightly, turning up the radio. "Oh... wait, that's my shit." I bobbed my head in turn with the heavy bass of the music, almost enjoying the car ride and almost enjoying the company.

"This the spot, baby." He pulled up and motioned across the car lot. "Hey, just go post up and wait for me right there real quick while I make this call." I shook my head lightly, "I gotta hit the homie auntie, you know, she got ass... I mean, I mean... I'm a community activist." I scoffed to myself and got out of the door, sliding out. "Anyway, we gonna get you a car. We gonna get you a car to race in, so... you know?" I rolled my eyes and made a slight waving motion, "Well to look at the back of my shit in, 'cause you aint gonna beat me." I shook my head and he sighed.

"I'm just saying though, baby, you..." I started walking across the car lot and heard him huff and say "Fuck it." I chuckled to myself and watched as a car drove into the lot, the driver stepping out and making a sweeping motion with his arm, gesturing for me to get in. I got in and adjusted the seat testing the clutch and pulling a face. "Not bad..." Lamar grinned as he pulled up beside me. "You know, baby, race is set. Let's go." I nodded and reversed out, following Lamar to the location where 2 cars sat waiting.

"Fuck." We got out and exchanged glances, placed any and all bets and returning to our vehicles. "Don't look nervous; I'll take it real gentle on you." I huffed, parking up next to a red Schyster, the drivers eyes fully focused on the road with a hint of sass. "Damn, someone's serious." He spared me a corner glance and a slight twitch of a smirk as the lights changed colour, uh oh. "Fuck-" I quickly shifted gears as all four of us took off down the street, Lamar trailing just slightly behind me whilst the other 2 guys dominated the road ahead.

"Well- fuck you." I shot past the other guy, tailing the Schyster, watching the darted movements sway across the road, sure fire tactics so I couldn't get past. "Come on, don't be a dick now dude." The finish line was almost in sight and Lamar was miles behind, fuck knows what happened to the other guy. The line was approaching and so were the concrete barriers.

"Sorry dude." I clipped the right side of him close to the barrier forcing him to spin out as I crossed the line. "Suck it fuckers!" I took my cut and I got the fuck outta there, I had contacts to speak to and pick ups to arrange but first, home sweet home... Apartment 57 Richards Majestic, already paid up with a full 6 months rent in advance, what can I say I appreciate expensive things, and the view was great.

I was completing contracts at a rather decent rate, my rule about billboards and snipers was well applicable here this was like one big nest and it was b-e-a-utiful. The downside was the cops were a lil harder to persuade to keep off my tail and I soon found myself on a top bounty list, it was...bad. I'd conveniently switched up my attire for the occasion, a set of combat pants, combat boots, heavy shield combat shirt, gloves and a mask coupled with a set of black coloured heavy armor, funny enough, I looked enough like a guy I decided to play the part too.

I was on my way to a target when I figured I was being tailed, red Sabre Turbo, 2 guys inside, I wove through traffic and got out of their sights and headed towards one of the hide aways at Cypress Flats. I positioned myself inside the crate and secured the door keeping my radio off and my engine quietly running, I could hear the loud rumble of an engine from outside and smirked. Sneaky fucker.

As soon as the door opened I was off out, I caught a glimpse of the guy in red sliding into the car through the passengers door and speeding away leaving his buddy behind in favour of chasing me, what a dork. We raced through the streets of Downtown Vinewood, I briefly lost him in the construction site but he caught up again quick, best way to get rid of him would be the freeway. This guys driving was beautiful, it was like doing the tango with steering wheels for fuck sake.

I lost him around the mid section, part way to Grapeseed and slowed my progress, letting my employer know I'd be running extremely late. This guy was persistent and caught up in no time we got as far as the airfield when he slammed into the back of my Bati and sent me flying, it hurt...a lot. I was face down in the dirt, I could feel the broken bones and the lacerations in my shirt and trouser, my legs were pretty fucking numb.

I laughed despite my pain at this jerk's backhanded method of stopping me, he hooked his shoe underneath me and flipped me on my back, my cracked goggles somewhat clouding my vision of him but not of the barrel of a gun pointed at my face. "Well..." I grumbled, "Aren't you gonna finish me?" He blanched, almost confusedly as he leant down and pulled my mask away, ripping the goggles away with them.

"Holy shit...you're a girl!" I rolled my eyes and turned my head to the side to spit up the blood that filled my mouth. "Well fucking done! Congratulations!" I made to move and his grip on the gun tightened. "Don't move!" I growled to myself. "I have 3 fucking bruised ribs, a couple broken bones and I'm bleeding for fuck sake, where the fuck do you think I'm gonna go?!"

He lowered the weapon slowly and I took the opportunity to kick out his ankle making him drop to one knee, I threw my whole body weight forward and pinned him down by his throat struggling with him for a few moments until he punched me hard in my already bruised ribs and knocked me clean out with his gun. I woke up in a cramped space, a trunk? Great. I listened to the melody I could hear from the front of the car and lightly sang along.

Jeez I needed some sort of entertainment, in agony here. The car slowed as I could see the break lights light up and a chuckle came from the front. "Enjoying yourself?" I scoffed. "Buzzing with excitement, dickwad." He growled a lil and huffed. "If you don't shut up I'm, gonna go over a bump." I growled in return. "You wouldn't dare." He hit a few more bumps and I fell asleep eventually, I was bleeding out pretty bad so sleep was welcomed right now.

I woke up to blinding light as he gripped my arm and helped me out of the car, a damn sight nicer than he was about an hour ago... I looked over the house and looked back at him. "Are we in Murrieta Heights?" He glanced at me and helped me to the door, waiting as the buzzer went off and the heavily secured door clicked open. "Great, you got her." I couldn't help it; I flew at the man in front of me and squeezed him so bloody tight.

"You son of a bitch!" I hit his arm and limped a lil using the counter to steady myself. "You put a fucking bounty on me and get this douche bag to almost KILL ME!" He flashed me a small grin and I shook my head at him. "Nice to see you too Less." He flopped back down in his chair and wheeled himself back to a set position. "You and I have a lot of catching up to do." I nodded to him and he sighed turning to face me.

"What's there to talk about?" I fixed him in my gaze and he squirmed uncomfortably. "You know what there is to talk about. What did I miss?" He made sure I was seated and handed me a med kit so I could patch up whilst he was talking, I was almost fully healed by the time he finished talking. "You warned them not to..." He looked at the guy in doorway expectantly. "You take her home; make sure she gets there in one piece. Grace, call me if you need me." I nodded almost numbly; I couldn't believe I had missed all of that.

I walked out with the driver and tapped his shoulder giving him a fairly decent right hook once we were outside. "That's for breaking my leg." I shook my head and hobbled down the steps to the car, getting in and waiting for him to recover and come down to meet me. "Sam." He watched me a moment and I nodded at last. "Grace." We drove back to Richards Majestic and I invited him in for a drink, broke the guys nose least I could do is offer to fix it.

He whistled as he stepped into my apartment. "Nice place." I grinned back at him. "I know, and I wouldn't try pulling the gun crap here, you're on my turf at the moment, you're talented and I don't want to have to dump a body down the laundry chute so lets keep this pg-13 ok?" he nodded in agreement. "I read your file, impressive." I grinned. "It is rather aint it? I'm just lucky to have had the opportunities I did I guess, no that I'm not saying that I didn't work my fucking ass off for them."

He shrugged and took a seat on my sofa graciously accepting my drink as I handed it to him. "Let me get the kit, we'll get that seen to." I fixed his nose and he stayed for a couple more drinks before his phone rang and he rolled his eyes. "Lester was checking you got here okay, you didn't answer your phone." I jumped up. "Oh shit!" I looked around for my phone when he tossed it to me and I looked at him almost impressed, he thought to take it away in case I tried to call someone from the trunk.

I checked my messages and laughed a lil at the amount of missed calls, man was I gonna be in trouble. "Sammy, I think this might be the start of a beautiful friendship, may we never have to have a Mexican stand off..." He laughed lightly and raised his glass to clink against my own and that kiddies is how I met Sam Ryder.


	15. RUIN

Chapter Fifteen

RUIN

Me and Sam had become close pretty quick, he liked the cash I sent his way and I like his skills it was really decent partnership to say the least. The problems started when some local LS employers caught wind of us and wanted up on bigger jobs, this meant I needed to make a damn crew, a fucking crew listen to me I sound like those 3 dickheads back in Ludendorff.

We were coming back from dropping off a package when the cops clocked onto us and gave chase; I smashed out the window and had to switch between firing out the side and firing out the back whilst Sam worked on an easy swerve route for us to get back to the safe house. As we got back he ran to the side of his beloved car and ran his hands over his face.

Sam gave me a look as he gazed over his beloved car, "Jesus Grace, she's ruined! Look at the windows!" I scoffed and pointed to the rear of the car. "Please Sammy, your bumper was kissing the railing half way home so don't blame this on me!" He shook his head and pointed his finger in my face threateningly before turning away and kicking the ground as he went inside, I called my mechanic and got him to come over, paying to fix the damn car.

I slumped on the sofa next to him, my legs across his lap as he nursed his whiskey whilst sulking and I just sipped at my bear. "Oh cheer the fuck up, Robbie's downstairs fixing it now, I called him." That seemed to perk him up a bit. "Dinner?" I raised an eyebrow, "What? You mean like take out?" He nodded lightly, "Yeah." I shrugged and nodded pulling a face, "Sure why not?" He grabbed the stack of menus beside him and flicked through. "Chinese?" I laughed lightly. "Fuck yeah gimme some of that MSG!"

We ordered take out, we chatted, we ate, we drank until Sam got an interesting call about a race in town and Sam jumped at it. "You wanna come?" I nodded quickly. "Sure lets go." We got into the now repaired red Sabre and raced off towards the meeting point, anxious to get to these dudes. "No fucking way..." Sam turned in his seat to look at me as we pulled to a stop. "That red Schyster, I've raced it before."

He grinned across at me and offered me the wheel. "Show mw what ya made of Gracie." I smirked. "Fuck you Sammy, I fucking will." We switched seats and I glanced across at the cocky fucker in the red Schyster who flashed me a grin evidently remembering the time I kicked his ass. Long story short I won 2nd, and the cocky shit came hopped out and ran over to me and Sammy as we sorted our cut of the reward money.

"You're the one with the Black Zion Cabrio right?" I nodded lightly, "Yeah that's me." He stuck his hand out. "Name's Danny." I shook his hand and chuckled. "Cerberus." He seemed a lil taken a back by the name and I squinted. "You know it?" he nodded excitedly, "yeah! You single handedly managed to wipe out a whole freaking gang up near Sandy, you're awesome!" I blinked. "How did you-" He grinned. "Driving's a pass time, I mainly fly. Have a helipad up in Grand Senora."

I looked to Sammy. "Pilot eh? I might have a proposition for you Danny boy." I gave him one of the safe house addresses and arranged to meet him up near Paleto. Sam came with me obviously but waited by the door, in part acting as muscle. Danny sauntered in and flopped out on the chair opposite me. "I need to make sure you can handle heavy." He grinned and scoffed. "She always this serious?" Sam narrowed his eyes lightly.

"Playing with Cerberus is like playing with fire." Danny grinned and turned back to me. "I can handle all kinds of fire power you got honey." I laughed to myself and shook my head. "Honey," I sarcastically remarked back. "I doubt it, see this kinda fire is dangerous. You don't wanna get burnt, you keep well away." He scoffed and clicked his tongue. "I can handle heavy." I narrowed my eyes on him and his snarky fucking attitude and I called his fucking bluff.

"See now Danny boy, there's a word for people like you...liability, you know what that means?" He growled and got to his feet and I noticed Sam slightly on edge. "It means kids think they're better than they really are, take on too much shit and get themselves killed leaving us in the thick of it. You sure you aint no liability?" He hesitated and nodded. "Sorry, I can handle it. I swear." I grinned and patted my knees as I stood.

"Good enough for me!" I stuck my hand out to him. "Grace." He chuckled and shook my hand. "Welcome to RUIN Danny boy." He stood awkwardly between us and shifted. "So uh now what?" I gestured, "This is one of our safe houses, use it to lay low, hang out what ever the hell you want, BUT you don't compromise it, you have a full out wanted rating our doors stay shut, your just on the radar you scoot your toosh in as quickly as you can move. Got it?"

He nodded in agreement and made for the door. "I'll call you if I need you; other wise use our resources wisely." He left with a mild salute and I looked at Sam. "I'm fire now am I?" He laughed and grabbed the chair for support. "I needed to make you sound all enigmatic and mysterious!" we both doubled over laughing and finally I grabbed my car keys. "See you back in LS?" He nodded. "See ya boss."

So now there were 3 of us. I drove back toward home, speeding down the freeway in the shadowy glow of the night, headlights and streetlamps the only things illuminated as I passed through Chumash on the way home. We had a Pilot, a Driver and a sniper; we needed more, a gunman and demolitions perhaps, people who could work strategically. I had plenty of time, for now I just needed to work on this crew. I took a week to think on it when I noticed the scope was getting a lil mucky.

I stopped off at Ammunation to grab another care kit for my rifle when I noticed someone in the range. "Am I ok to go through?" He nodded. "Sure thing Grace." I smiled back. "Thanks." I walked across and observed the woman trying to handle a heavy sniper and failing miserably. I grabbed an advanced scope standard sniper and walked in grabbing off her ear muffs. "Don't be fucking stupid you'll hurt yourself, here." I handed her the rifle and took the heavy sniper hitting the reset on the wall.

"Try that one." She nodded and tried the standard with a fair few difficulties. "Jesus..." I watched her murder the range and shook my head. "Oi-OI!" I pulled her muffs off again and wrote my number on her hand. "You are terrible, call me sometime I'll take you hunting, give you a better test." She seemed shocked at my willingness to help.

"You should try SMG or Micro SMG, if you find the kickback too much you may need to work with pistols for a while before something automatic ok?" she nodded quickly. "Thanks...sorry I didn't get your name." I grinned. "Cerberus." She gasped and shuffled closer to me. "I was supposed to be your backup a few months back, you never showed and we had to deal with it." I laughed. "That'll be when I was kidnapped." She looked me over. "You're okay though?" I nodded and she sighed in relief.

"I'm Rachel." I shook her hand and looked at her work. "You a gunner?" She nodded. "Cant work with snipers they're too back heavy, and the kickback is awful." I laughed. "Tell me about it right?" We laughed for a few minutes hitting it off when I realised the time. "Crap I'm missing Fame or Shame!" I looked back at her and motioned to her hand. "I mean it, you wanna go hunting you call me." She smiled back and carried on with her target practice as I handed the heavy sniper back to Harry.

"See ya Grace." I nodded to him and left for home just catching the end of the show. "Noooooooo!" I whimpered to myself and flicked channels to settle on a new episode of Impotent Rage. "Fuck it this'll do." I flopped out when I got a cryptic text. "Huh?" Footstep, there were footsteps in my house... I grabbed the pistol from under the sofa and listened, trying not to give too much away when I felt breath on the back of my neck and a knife poised at my jugular.

"You run away far too often." I sighed in relief and threw the gun down, and kept holding still for his knife at my neck. "The fuck you doing in LS Austin?" He kissed my cheek and removed the knife hopping over the sofa to place an arm around me. "Thought I'd come visit, life's boring without you in it." I punched him in the leg and shook my head. "For that, dinner's on you." He grinned. "Anything for you babe."

I growled. "And don't call me babe, you how much I fucking hate it." I went to change and threw the menu at him. "Choose." He looked it over and sighed. "Can't I just take you out to Atom Burger or something?" I trudged in, in my PJ's and raised an eyebrow when he burst out laughing. "Pizza it is!" He flopped out and groped at my legs as he pulled me over to him. "You always had nice thighs." I scoffed. "Not dicking me so stop trying."

He huffed and sat pulling me down beside him. "Meh, it was worth a try." Shaking my head I grabbed my wine and sprawled out as he went to answer the door. "You got a dollar fifty?" I nodded my head at the box on the side by the door with my spare change inside. "Thanks babe!" I growled and shook my head, asshole knew how to get under my skin. "Here." He handed me my pizza and my stomach roared in approval as the delicious smell hit my nose.

Overall it was a nice night; he opted to spend the night and curled up on my sofa under a throw blanket. "I want in." I blinked. "I'm sorry?" He chuckled "RUIN. I want in." I sighed. "Austin..." He shook his head. "I'm good with explosives and you know it." I couldn't deny that, the man was an artist with his pyro skills. "Fine, I'll have Less vet you first though, this'll be a trial basis." He shrugged. "You want me." I patted his leg and left him with the TV remote as I retired to be putting on Radio Mirror Park turned right down low as I drifted to sleep.

I woke early morning, Austin was gone and instead Sam sat in his place turning to look at me. "The fuck was that douche?" I grinned. "RUIN's demolitions man. And an old flame." He shook his head. "you're impossible." I grinned. "And you're adorable." He scoffed and played with his hair playing along. "Bitch I know I'm fabulous." I laughed and punched his arm on the way past making an early lunch when I noticed the time of day.

My phone rang loudly and I slid a plate over to Sam at the breakfast counter as I answered perching it between my shoulder and ear as I scrambled the eggs. "Cerberus." There was a pause on the line. "I was wondering if you could take me hunting?" I grinned. "Rachel!" Sam looked up confused and mouthed 'Who's Rachel?' to me as I waved him off. "Yeah sure thing, I'm just having a late breakfast, meet you at Ammunation?" She agreed and hung up.

Sam watched me closely with a small grin spreading across his face. "You found a full crew in just over 2 weeks... I think I'm impressed." I finished up cooking the eggs and evenly dished them out. "I should fucking well hope so Sammy." We finished eating breakfast and I left Sam at my apartment as I went to go meet her, we went hunting and I bumped into Cletus up by the lodge. "Howdy stranger." He laughed and repositioned himself on his bench.

"Stop stealing all the hunting ground Grace, leave some for the rest of us." I grinned and left him with a few snaps of some new foals and does grazing that He'd tried to get snaps of before and failed. "Techniques in the stealth red neck." He shook his head and waved me off. I got Rachel outfitted and took her up on the ATV's. I helped her a lil with her grip and worked out she was using the scope wrong which is why she was going wrong.

"Despite the odd mistake you're quite good Rach." She shrugged and nodded. "I'm ex LSPD I should hope so." I hesitated and she picked up on it. "Then I decided I preferred stealing the cash than taking out the robber." I grinned and patted her shoulder. "I'm in charge of a crew called RUIN." She nodded interested.

"We need a gunner." She chuckled. "I'm in." A short high five a few deer pelts and couple of dead cougars later I was on my way home. So this was it, a full crew comprised of the most talented individuals I had crossed paths with, the start of RUIN.


	16. This Could Get Really Messy

Chapter Sixteen

This Could Get Really Messy

Danny grinned across at me flicking his cigarette to the ground sending a slightly flirtatious smile. "Come on boss, what'cha scared of?" He winked lightly and I chuckled at his nerve. "I'm scared I'm gonna embarrass your punk ass when you're left eating my dust." Sam stumbled in, his right arm churned to bits as Austin and I rushed to his assistance. "Sammy, talk to me!" He winced and shushed us.

"LSPD... had to help a client... they had miniguns..." Austin and I shared a look. "These have been running through Grand Senora a while now, funny how the LSPD suddenly have them." I grabbed a med kit as Austin helped him out of his shirt and jacket and Danny got a bowl of semi hot water. I grabbed one of the towels from off the back of the chair and left it under Sam as I laid him down. "This might hurt Sammy, okay? I'm just gonna clear away the blood then we'll get those bullets out."

I kept his attention on me the whole time as I rinsed the wound off with the warm water first then carefully disinfected with rubbing alcohol and then used the provided tweezers from the led kit to take the bullets out one by one, pinching the inside of his thigh each time to help alleviate some of the pain. By the time all of the bullets were out some of the colour had returned to his face and he seemed a little bit better, I stitched him up and tied off the ends carefully adding some antiseptic cream and sticking down a gauze over the top. "All done!"

We slowly relaxed and sighed. "Fuck me that was enough drama to last me a week." Austin jumped up. "I'm going to Burger Shot, I'll get us some grub." We all nodded in agreement and sunk into our seats watching the breaking news story that flashed across the screen detailing what had just happened before moving on to a show about Jack Howitzer.

I patted Sam's leg and offered him a few things to get his blood sugar level back up. "You look tired, wanna go to bed?" he shook his head slowly and I sighed. "A blanket?" He paused and nodded slowly. "Okay, I'll be back in a sec." I brought him back the blanket and chucked the towel in for wash flopping out on the seat again feeling a bit sick as my stomach growled loudly, problem solved as Austin walked in with a few crates of beer, a bottle of whiskey and a fair few bags of food from burger shot. "Nom!"

It was a few lonely weeks finishing up jobs for Arthur's old contacts before I finally got to rest and the digits of my bank account were more than just aesthetically pleasing. I finally got to relax when my phone rang, I groaned and lifted it to my ear. "Cerb-" Sam's yelling came from the other end. "GRACE I'M COMING TO GET YOU, YOU NEED TO GET OUT!" and hung up.

I grabbed everything I needed and ran down to meet him, it was then that I noticed the black cars following him, jumped in and threw back a sticky bomb, setting it off under the car following and took out both but then the cops were on us. We swerved across the road and lead them to the intersection hiding under the bridge between the aqueducts and waited. "Triads but not the friendly kind. I kinda stole something for you."

I blinked and gasped at the pristine minigun splayed across the back seat. "Have I told you I love you? No really seriously. I love you." I grabbed the gun and checked it over, grinning to myself. "I think we're clear." WE went back to my apartment and I took the heavy gun in through my garage to stop any pedestrians from seeing.

After Sam had left that afternoon Austin called to tell me that Danny had been attacked and left on the side of the road by some hillbilly fucks, luckily Austin chased them off before they could do anything to him and I started to travel up towards Sand Shore Medical Centre when I passed a familiar red Sabre Turbo and an RV parked up just inside near this warehouse.

I got out and kept near the wall when I noticed a couple of guys waddling around with their pants around their ankles and Sam's unconscious body on the floor between them, one was just about to whip out his wiener when I shot him in the head. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HIM!" I kept my gun trained on the one in front of me, aware that a couple were approaching from my left, I grabbed my pistol and shot them both without taking my eyes off of the one nearest to Sam in case he hurt him.

He backed off and Sam groaned as he came to, stumbling towards me as soon as he got to his feet and threw up a few times. "Don't worry Sammy I got this." I helped him sit by the wall for him to recover and turned back in time to see the other fuckers arrive. "Real handy you got me this Sam." I whipped out the minigun and grinned. "Run." Fuck knows how many fucking bullets I used but I fucking obliterated that lot, no one hurts the people closest to me and get to live to tell the tale. NO ONE.

I got Sam back to his place and called Johnny, since Robbie was busy, to collect my car and bring it back to Sam's. I helped him inside and got him sorted before leaving and slumped down once I got home, RUIN kept me busy I'd give them that. "He's gonna be alright in case you were wondering." I jumped and turned to look at Austin. "They tried to hurt Sam." He growled, "The fuck is your fascination with him?!" I shouted back. "HES WHAT I WANTED TOBY TO BE! He- he reminds me of Toby, how Toby should have been if they hadn't of killed him. He's like a little brother..."

Austin trod carefully towards me in my upset state and when he put his hand on me I pushed him away. "Get out." He pleaded. "But Gra-" I yelled. "GET OUT!" I must've downed two or three bottles of wine in the end but I woke up in the morning with Sam hovering over me. "Job to do boss, let's go." I nodded and numbly changed, I could barely look at Sam let alone converse with him, I talked when I need to but the rest was left in silence.

We arrived and managed to take out the targets fairly easily until someone blew up the car and Sam got shot in the leg so I had to steal a new car and patch Sam up whilst also trying to keep us from the cops. Austin's argument was still fresh in my mind and coupled with what today was... depression was starting to win out here. Once we got back Sam refused to speak to me, I couldn't blame him this was my fault after all.

I got home and turned everything off, opting to have a bath whilst drowning away my sorrows with alcohol, that dark pit in my chest had now spread to a gaping chasm and had well and truly swallowed me whole, this was a case of what to do tomorrow this was a now a question of if I would see tomorrow. I called Sam and left him a voicemail since he was obviously screening my calls.

My phone slipped from my hand down onto the floor outside of the bath, I didn't care, not like I'd need it again anyway. "H-happy B-birthday little b-brother..." I couldn't tell when I'd slipped under the water or when I'd passed out but the darkness was strangely comforting everything was becoming numb and cold, it was weird...

I woke up with an ambulance crew leant over me, but I was definitely at home. Sam was drenched stood in the corner and looked fairly relieved when he saw I was awake. I noticed I'd been wrapped in a towel and there were a couple of doctors standing nearby close to Sam. "Grace, can you hear me?" I nodded and he nodded in return. "You tried to suffocate yourself via water, luckily your friend found you. Can you tell us how long you've had these feelings or if you feel the need to try again?"

I shook my head slowly. "I'm okay- I just-" Sam yelled. "Grace you just tried to commit suicide! What the hell!" I shook my head and tried hard not to cry. "It's Toby's birthday... and- and what Austin said..." He got on his knees next to me and pulled me to him. "She'll be okay now." The paramedics and the doctors left leaving me and Sam alone. "Six tattoos really?" I smiled lightly and he hugged me to him again. "We'll go out for ice cream and then go down to Del Perro Pier okay?"

He left me to go get dressed and once I was dressed he was careful with me, evidently my big bad wolf act was gone now in his eyes. "Its okay to break sometimes Grace." I sighed and shook my head. "Sometimes you're hard for so long you forget how to be soft." He frowned. "Ludendorff was what started this right?" I nodded lightly. "My parents." He nodded. "Then don't think about them, think about your dad, Arthur."

I slowly calmed down and he grinned. "See?" I chuckled lightly and shook my head. "Okay I see your point, I just...it bothers me and you can't expect me to forget." He shook his head quickly. "Of course not! Just remember that Toby loved you and you loved him, he wouldn't want you to throw all of this away because of one stupid assholes big gob right?"

True to his word we got ice cream and played a few games on the arcade I kicked his ass at the shooters and then we went on Leviathan a few times and the Ferris Whale when we had a fairly detailed chat about what was wrong funny enough Sam may as well have been family the way he took care of me. Of course one thing was left to settle.

It wasn't hard tracking down Austin and I have to admit the 3 punches I landed right in his smug face were more than satisfying enough for me. I left and spent a few days away from it all staying in the Paleto safe house and visiting the beach almost everyday. It was a nice way of cleansing my thoughts and getting myself back on track.


	17. Risky Business

Chapter Seventeen

Risky Business

When I got back I noticed I'd had a couple of voicemails from Lamar, might as well see what the idiot wanted right? I texted him back and he sent me a text saying '_The dude I do some work for over at Premium Deluxe Motorsport needs a car repoed. I said you was new and in need of gainful, so thank me later for the hookup. It's a mark over in Jamestown who missed the note on a purple Schafter. This Ballas turf, you know what I'm saying, so look out and don't mention LD. Peace'_

I sighed and shook my head. "I swear that guy would be deadly if he actually had brains." I called Sam and tilted my head. "I'm in need of a driver." He chuckled. "Gimme 5." I grinned. "Good boy." We hung up and grabbed enough ammo for a small job, nothing particularly menacing. I stashed the gun and took the elevator to the garage trying to pick the least suspicious car, the Zion was a bit too much so I went with the Issi.

As Sammy pulled up I laughed at the sorry state of the car. "What the hell were you doing?!" I doubled over unable to hold in my laughter as he huffed. "I lost an argument with a train." I shook my head and planned out with him how the score would go down. "Basically he'd being too lazy to repo it himself so he's sending us. You loop around one side and I'll go the other, I need you to cover me as we leave in case there's anymore cars following us, we deliver it job done, simple enough right?"

He nodded and I rolled my shoulders getting into the Issi and speeding off ahead of him regrouping at the Los Santos Customs in La Mesa working out who would go where. It was a lil nerve racking the fact we were technically stealing from inside 'the hood' but Sammy was my backup and I had Robbie on call to pick up the car.

We sped off under the over pass and across the bridge, across the train tracks and back again which is when we split as he went down the side road and I carried on forward narrowly dodging traffic. He went around the back of Carson Ave and I came from the train track side, just about getting away with missing a truck, yikes. I parked a lil ways back so my car would be safe and tracked along the sidewalk already getting suspicious glances.

I took out the guy hovering by the car and ran over clocking Sam coming up the street and blocking the way for some thugs that were trying to get to me, I took off at top speed as I could, dialling Robbie to collect my car and watching Sam following in the rear-view mirror. We both made our way back to the Premium Motorsport Dealership and I pulled up in the allotted parking space, Sam at my side as Simeon raised the shutter and nodded to us. "Interesting, interesting, well done!"

I took some time away from the crew, hunting whenever I got the opportunity since the company was sparse sometimes and Cletus wasn't such a bad guy. Or at least I had some of the guys at Ammunation to talk with about weapon care; Ralf cared a little more about explosives so Harry was the best guy to go to for a care kit. Hanging out with Lamar was NOT an option but the guy had plenty of ways to get easy cash and I wasn't about to turn that down now was I?

I'd hung out way more with Cletus and set up in Harmony to work on my sniping skills in the dark, LS had way too much light pollution but the Grand Senora provided perfect night to work under. I stayed at that safe house for roughly a year in the end doing odd jobs for Lamar and making friends. Austin was still sniffing around and trying to get back in my good books by offering me jobs but he had over stepped the line and pretty sure he fucking knew it.

"Look Grace...you know I didn't mean it... and I definitely didn't mean for you to try and kill yourself over it." I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "All i wanted was a 'sorry'." He looked shocked for a minute and got on his knees in front of me. "Grace, I'm very sorry that I upset you." I slapped the back of his head as I walked past him. "Get up idiot." We got in the car when my phone started ringing again and I sighed pretty much done now.

I answered in my 'masculine' voice. "Cerberus." There was a scuffle then a voice sounded. "This is Ron from TP Industries to tell you; that you've messed up. Very badly. My boss is very angry and you really would not like him when he's angry. He insists you come to our HQ in Sandy Shores and explain yourself. He told me to tell you to bring kneepads and mouthwash, not sure what that means but I would hurry if I were you, which right now, I'm glad I'm not." He promptly hung up and I laughed.

"Woo-hoo-hoo-... sounds like someone has their panties in a bunch." I looked to Austin and smirked. "This is how you're gonna make it up to me; I've made another enemy SO you're going in as a representative of RUIN, and my representative." I drove him to the location and parked up outside. "I'll be waiting right here, don't worry." He pulled a face at me and shook his head the whole way up the stairs, a few minutes later he walked out looking pissed.

"You sure know how to piss crazy fuckers off!" I chuckled to myself as he got in and slammed the door glaring at me. "We're fucking even, that guy is fucking nuts." I laughed and grinned to myself. "The crazy kind, are the kind you can trust though Aussy." He grunted and I laughed as we drove away back to my current temporary residence in Grapeseed Avenue.

I got a call from Sam about a job and went outside to talk to him privately. "What ya got Sammy?" He hung up and forwarded me the text, '_Some business associates of mine have come to me with a little market saturation problem. I need you to extract a plane loaded with rival product and deliver it to Sandy Shores Airfield. I'd advise taking along a sniper if I were you. Convince me you're professional and I'll have more jobs like this. Oh, and get an apartment, something with space to prep properly. I don't like mistakes._'

Danny pulled up in front of me a short time later and pushed open the passenger's side door. "Coming?" I grinned and noticed Sam pull up in Rachel's car opening the door for Austin to climb inside. "A RUIN job? Fine let's do it." I climbed inside with Danny and kept my eyes peeled for the other guys as his phone rang and he answered with loud speaker. "We'll meet you at the airfield." Sam hung up and Danny motioned to the back. "Picked you up a heavy sniper, I'll be your pilot if you'll be my sniper."

He watched the road and handed me a clip. "Rachel couldn't come, she's on another job at the minute." I nodded, "As long as she's getting practice it's fine." He nodded and pointed out ahead. "I'll drop you here; you take them out then signal me when it's clear okay?" I grabbed my case and slipped out. "Sure thing Danny boy." I set up on the grassy bank using the advanced scope to pick off the few men guarding a little ways a way from the actual aircraft obviously the entrance men.

I watched the other men's reactions making sure no one was startled, I slipped on some heavy body armor just in case and kept some meds handy, there was a Bullshark testosterone drink in my case just in case the situation went south, best to be prepared. I moved up behind a small patch of brush and took out the men behind the plane first to not alert the large group of armed men around by the doors, I could just about hear Danny as I focused. 7 down so far, this little group to go.

I took out the ones on the outside first cursing the reload on this thing as they scattered to hide behind cars and sparse Cargo that had obviously originated from the plane. They were fairly easy to pick off but I wanted to go over the place with a fine tooth comb. "Wait there Danny, I'm gonna check its safe first." I skidded a little on the dirt as I went down onto the beach.

Watching around the area I slowly crept up to the car, Micro SMG in hand for close range combat. A guy popped out from behind the back of the black SUV and startled me just barely missing me as he opened fire, return fire hit its mark and I kicked the fucker's head for making me jump. I checked inside the plane and once more outside. "Okay Danny, come on down!" He jogged down to me and threw me a cheeky grin. "Got ya parachute ready?"

I huffed and nodded waiting for Danny to signal the jump point and once we got over the airfield area I noticed Rachel's car parked up over by the trail where I jumped out and landed quite roughly on the rock mound where I set up my perch. Danny circled above waiting for us to clear the area as I picked off a few and Austin took out the main cars with explosives.

It was an odd scene working with Austin, I always thought crime was art, like Sammy's tango with his car and Austin's beautiful ability to paint a scene of pure chaos, my art was being precise at the very least. I watched the way the flames and smoke mingled with a mix of screaming hit men and laughed to myself, I slid down the rocks and ran into the field with my Micro SMG picking off the stragglers and meeting with Austin as Danny landed the plane with a grin on his face.

"That Lads and Ladies, is a wrap." We got back to the safe house down Grapeseed Ave and chilled out, take away sprawled across the table and a few crates of pisswasser for a job well done, I sat next to Austin eating my Chicken Chow Mein and sipping at my beer whilst watching Fame or Shame, Sammy was playing cards with Danny and it all seemed rather serene.

Danny got a call from Less to let him know that our cuts were being deposited into our accounts and to enjoy the rest of our evening, getting smashed and feeling fat. Fab. "Grace, you know I've been living in your apartment right?" I rolled my eyes, "If you fucked in my bed at least remember to turn the mattress when you leave and wash the sheets okay?" Sam laughed to himself and raised his beer. "Will do."

There was a van that kept patrolling outside sporting the 'LOST MC' logo on it and it made me wonder how Ash and Johnny were I was a bit of a bitch for leaving it a good few year but then again I would've been a bit too smothering if I had contacted them every few months or every year. "Hey guys I need to call someone." I got up and strolled outside calling Johnny's phone mildly disappointed when I got the 'BUSY' tone and promptly hung up.

Funny but this place reminded me a bit of T, always in a fucking mess and hot like his temper. "Gracie, babe, you coming back in?" I huffed and weakly glared at Austin. "Stop calling me babe fucktard." He grinned and held the door open for me as I went back inside opting to take up the whole couch. "You can sit on the floor bitch." He 'haha'ed' sarcastically and perched on the floor next to the sofa, leaning his head back against my arm.

I fell asleep around mid way through whichever film we were watching and woke up around 3:00am with Sam draped across the bottom end of the sofa, Danny snoring from the bedroom and Austin curled up on the floor next to me, his jacket over him like a blanket. I tucked one of the sofa cushions under his head and turned to go back to sleep.

The sound of a truck revving woke me and I ran to the window watching Austin leave, Sam's car was already gone and Danny's car was gone too, alone again...yay. I got a text about purchasing a garage with some pictures attached to it, the place was gorgeous like a warehouse, obviously capable of holding roughly 30 maybe 35 cars and was already filled with 15 of Sam's Sabre clones.

"Well done boys." I grinned to myself and watched as a red Canis Bodhi tore past followed by a multitude of cops. "Backwards hillbilly fuck." I rolled my eyes and went to work packing up so I could return home, I missed hunting and I missed talking to Cletus and Harry. I packed up and slung my bag into the back of my Zion locking up and putting the key in the guttering on the roof I sped back towards my home in LS.


	18. I Know What You Did In The Dark

Chapter Eighteen

I Know What You Did In The Dark

I got another call a couple of weeks later, my apartment was a fucking state, nothing but take out boxes and empty alcohol bottles, I had officially hit 'slob'. "Cerberus." There was heavy breathing from the other end and I frowned. "Hello?" I leant on the side mildly concerned in case this person was injured until I heard a woman screaming in well... lets just say they were obviously fucking.

I rolled my eyes and hung up grabbing my wallet and slipping it in my pocket as I grabbed my keys, I left and called Hair on Hawick to confirm my hair appointment, it was a fucking mess. I parked outside near Suburban and checked out the jackets in the window taking a particular fancy to the leather studded. "Hmmm..." I went inside the hairdresser and made light conversation as he trimmed my hair.

"I love your scent!" I smiled. "It's Shine actually got sent a sample and quite liked it, used it ever since." She smiled and finished up fixing my makeup and moving so I could see in the mirror, "That looks fab, how much do I owe you?" She cleaned off her scissors and stepped over to the till. "$20." I paid her went out to Suburban to go get me a new jacket.

As I pulled up I noticed Austin's truck pull up and sighed straight away. "What do you want Aussy?" He walked straight up to me and paused looking torn between telling me something. "Austin... you're scaring m-" He grabbed my shoulders and the bastard had the audacity to try and eat my face. I slapped him hard across the face, it left my hand stinging but it got the point across fairly well.

Luckily I got a text just in time. '_I got an idea here at TP Inc. about synergizing our business interests - bringing day to day dealings and profitability into line. Mushroom Hank has agreed to buy motorbikes off us, so why don't you steal some off the Lost, and drop them off at his place. We screw with the bikers and make some money for once. Ideas like that is why I take crystal. R. Jakowski_.' I grabbed his arm.

"We need Sam and Rachel for this one." I got in his truck with him and stayed quiet as we picked the others up, I hopped in the back with Rachel and sighed. "There's a hill just off from the site, drop me there and I'll cover you." As we pulled up on the hill I stepped out with my rifle and nodded to Rachel and Sam, quickly turning to pick off the MC members below.

I took out 7 or 8 before the sound of rapid gunfire met my ears. I fixed my gun on my back and ran down the hill carefully pulling out my SMG and running in to meet Sam. "Hey stranger." He grinned back at me as I pointed out the bikes. "Think we can grab three or four?" He nodded and I took out a few whilst Rachel cleared out. I slid into the seat and rode off first, we narrowly avoided a few bikers coming towards us but a little off road work saw to it we were in the clear in no time.

We dropped the bikes off outside of Mushroom Hank's and got cash in hand payment, $5,000 a piece not bad I guess. I leant against the side of the building and called Robbie. "Yo, can you bring the black Bati from Richard please? Cheers." I waited for my bike to come as everyone parted ways. "Thanks dude." I waved Robbie off and got on my bike, heading back toward my apartment, planning what to have for dinner in my head- oh and how to emasculate Austin.

I received a text not long after I got home and a familiar red Sabre pulled up outside and I got a text '_This is a disaster! Another dealership is set to open with low interesting financing and income appropriate credit limits. People living within their means makes me sick, friend, you know this. Please go to the terminal and destroy all the cars they're importing. Come back to the dealership and I will reward you for this important work. They must be stopped!_'

I rolled my eyes and quickly changed grabbing some stuff together and making sure to pick up the sticky bombs. I took the elevator down to meet Sam, and slammed the door when I got in. "Jesus! It's not the cars fault!" I glared across at him. "Just, drive." He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "So he wanted to fuck you, the way you've been acting you need to get laid." I growled and pulled out a sticky bomb attaching it to the side of the car pulling out my phone. "You were saying?"

We sped towards the docks and I drummed my fingers on my knees watching the scenery fly past as he switched the radio on to Radio Mirror Park. "To cheer you up." I shook my head and turned it off. "Let's just get this shit done, then I can get a freaking burger and go drink my weight in wine." I got out as we approached and used a mix of gas and sticky bombs to get rid of the cars and bombs, I have to admit seeing flying burning people.

We started our small trip back to the car when tire screeches sounded from round the corner. "Go!" We dove in the car and managed to just about pull ahead as 2 black SUV's came around the corner. "Sam, I hate to tell ya but I'm gonna smash your window." I smashed out the window and shot the tires out on the closes SUV. "You coulda rolled down the window!" I shot out the back window too and got the SUV's off our trail.

"We need to get back to the dealership dummy." We drove back slowly and he stopped just before the meeting place to look at me. "I'm sorry for being a dick, I know you miss him." I blinked a lil dumfounded and nodded. "Okay." We pulled up at the dealership and got out as Simeon rushed to meet us, "Well done!" We got back in after collecting out $3000 cuts and Sam watched me for a moment.

"Why don't you try finding him?" I sighed and looked away. "Honestly?" He nodded, "I'm scared of what I'll find...if he's dead or has a family..." He grabbed my shoulder and hugged me for a moment. "Don't fucking say anything just take it." I smiled lightly and nodded. "Thanks Sammy, you're a cool dude." He got back in the car and waited for me.

"Hold up Sammy, incoming." I checked my phone as it vibrated in my pocket. '_The stickups keep getting bigger, dog. I got knowledge on a boat loaded with brown tar these Vagos eses brought up from Mexico, so much it sitting low in the water. If you can get from them at Chumash, and bring it to my people by the bridge at Lago Zancudo, I'll have some stacks for you. Look out though, they gonna have guards on land and sea._' "Chumash baby."

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Well that got you happy again." I grinned. "Killing people Sammy, killing people is what makes me happy." I jumped in the car and set the GPS before we took off up towards Chumash, I tapped my foot to the radio and Sam rolled his eyes at me. "Only you could get excited at the thought of killing." I grinned, "That's because it means cash, and cash means nice things, ergo, death means nice things."

We pulled up at Chumash Plaza and scouted around to find the entrance to the pier. "Got ya." I motioned for Sam to stay up as I took out the two guys guarding the entrance. Sam ran slightly ahead and pressed his back against the outer wall, checking the coast was clear before signalling me to come across, I set up behind the picket fence and picked off the ones blatantly out in the open on the higher decks.

We took out the rest and waited on the higher decks as the two back up boats came close we gunned them down and hopped across and down into the boat we were supposed to take to the meeting point. We got half way up the coast and Sam relaxed. "The hell you doing?" He laughed, "if they don't chase you after 2 miles, they don't chase you." I shook my head and kicked him with my heel.

We dropped the boat off and collected the cash payment, making our way up the embankment I got a text from Gerald. '_Good work, I'll be in touch._' I looked to Sam and shrugged. "We need wheels." He nodded and looked around jumping out in front of the nearest car and grabbing the door open once it had stopped. "Sorry." I jumped in the other side and we sped back towards town.

"10k... Jesus who'd 'a known Gerald paid the big bucks?" As soon as we got back I just flopped out on the sofa and just slept. Fuck everything else for fuck sake. Danny called in after a couple of days and shook his head. "You can't be THIS tired...?" I waved him off. "Sleeping pattern's been terrible Danny boy." He huffed and rolled his eyes. "How so?" I growled. "Doing late night jobs for contacts that don't concern YOU." He held up his hands in defeat. "Chill baby chill."

I checked my phone as I got a text and sighed. '_Someone's employed Merryweather Security to guard a boat at the Pacific Allied Shipyard. I happen to know the boat is loaded with bricks of cocaine. Find out how these mercenaries got roped into the war against drug control, and bring the boat to my men in the marina. The employment records should be in their safe._' "We'll need to grab Austin and Rachel."

The team gathered together and drove to the Pacific Allied Shipyard where a lot of Merryweather security guards were waiting for us. "Right, I'll make sure I'm on guard, good luck guys!" The team fought their way to the second floor and cracked the a safe. After acquiring the coke, the team fought their way outside where I met them, picking off the occasional guard when I could.

After that, we directed ourselves towards the marked marina whilst being followed by an enemy helicopter. I turned in my seat and balanced by bracing my feet against the back of the boat taking out the pilot with my sniper rifle before stealing the boat. We arrived at the marina in the Vespucci canals in the described area and noticed the black bag sitting in place, the job was completed.

Sam picked me up from the marina and took me home a concerned look on his face. "You been sleeping ok?" I sighed and shook my head. "I think I'm running at 120% with only 30% battery Sammy." He tutted and took a sharp turn. "Where are we going?" he huffed. "Getting you some food then I'm taking you home, go it?" I nodded lightly. "Yeah, I got it."

Sam had me on bed rest for a month, took turns in staying over with Austin making sure I got myself well again until one particular message came through. '_You wanna help me to get a big shipment of weapons together for a contact of mine to take to Mexico? There's a slight chance they won't be used for something totally horrendous down there too. So we can all feel good about that. Weapons are with the Lost at the cement works in Harmony, buyer's waiting for whole consignment (whole consignment!) at Catfish View boatyard._'

I grinned and strapped into my combat gear. "C'mon fuckers, let's get working!" Sam groaned as Austin flopped. "I preferred you when you were on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion." I didn't catch the name on the text since I hadn't had it stored before and just rushed to setup, stocking up on ammo and snacks; this sounded like a tough enough job.

We collected our little group, was a four man job so collectively it was Sam, Rachel, Austin and myself. It took a pretty hefty amount of time getting to the job that I got a text saying, '_The buyer is getting jumpy, you need to get the shipment here real soon._' I growled. "Pick up the pace Sammy, boss is getting antsy." He nodded and drove faster as I got another text with a fixed time limit set to it. "Six minutes, lads and ladies, get moving!"

We took out the bikers and Austin and Rachel covered us whilst Sam and I took the trailer. "Three minutes and counting Sammy." He growled, "I know! Stop counting!" I held my hands up in defence and shot out another biker as they came towards us. We stopped off at the delivery site with Aussy and Rach when the buyer started freaking out. "Bikers!"

Each of us scattered behind a crate and shot out as many as possible until one guy took it upon himself to destroy my crate and wreck my armor vest, since I was already separated from the group I stood my ground and took on what I could. When the bikers were all dead the buyer stumbled out nodding in approval. "Nice job!" and handed us our cut, I stumbled slightly from my place to collect my cash when my vision blacked out and I found myself on the floor.


	19. Agony

Chapter nineteen

Agony

I could taste blood and squirmed in pain when I felt pain blossom in my chest. "Grace!" Sam skidded on his knees as he ran and crouched next to me. "Hang in there Gracie- fuck!" Austin looked fairly mortified. "There's a lot of blood Sam..." Sam growled and carefully helped me up. "Shut the fuck up and help me!" I grinned up at him and shook my head. "Lang-uage." He looked me over and sighed.

"We need to get her to the closest safe house!" Sam put me in the seat and ripped off the vest, getting to the injured area and winced. "Call that guy she knows, umm Steve, he's a medic!" The others jumped into the car as Austin held the compress against the wounds and Sam sped off. "Zancudo Ave is closest Sammy..." Everything was starting to get really slow and I was starting to feel a little light headed.

Sam slid into the drive way and busted in the door clearing an area to treat me. "I've dealt with worse Sammy..." He growled. "This isn't fucking funny, you could die!" I sighed. "I'm not indestructible I get hurt all the fucking time." Steve burst in the door and shook his head. "You're and idiot." I growled. "And you're late." He shook his head. "Arthur wouldn't have come to me in this state." I kicked at him. "I'm not Arthur."

He started work on the worst of the wounds and sighed as he pulled the bullet out frowning. "You're lucky... the bullet was stopped by another bullet" Sam paused and turned to look at us. "What?" I laughed and winced slightly from the pain. "It's not fucking funny Grace! Shut up!" I chuckled to myself as he shook his head.

"How wouldn't you notice another bullet inside of your fucking chest?!" I shrugged lightly. "Sometimes when I'm under fire I just have to keep going, I probably patched it up and forgot it was in there." He paused and looked at me utterly mortified. "You fucking terrify me." I grinned up at him as Steve finished patching me up. "Get her some fluids, water, soda. And something to eat." He nodded and went back to the medical centre.

I checked my phone as Austin left shaking his head muttering about me being a 'crazy bitch' and saying 'they're perfect for e-fucking-chother' whatever the hell that meant. The text read simply, '_There might be a future for you at TP Industries after all. How are you with a facilitator?'_ And a chuckle escape my lips. "OJ and Burger Shot pleaaaaaaaase!"

I rested on the couch with Sam's eyes firmly fixed on me. "How do you do it? I've seen your scars I know you've been hurt but how?" I shrugged. "I was abused as a kid, you either learn to love pain or you learn to live with it." He shook his head and huffed. "I'm making you pancakes until Austin gets back, that should shut you up for now." I nodded lightly but at some point I must've fallen asleep on the sofa.

I woke up mid evening, Rachel was gone but Sam was sprawled out on the chair and Austin had my feet resting in his lap, head tilted back to rest on the back of the cushions and snoozing lightly. It made sense to sleep for as long as possible once I'd drank my weight in orange juice and scoffed almost every food item in the house, I cuddled up next to Austin and stayed asleep this time.

Austin was the one who woke me, handed me a couple of painkillers and a glass of water. "It's covered well, no risk of infection and you should be fine in no time." I nodded and winced as my phone rang. "You cant stop me from answering." I answered and listened to the details about some trouble in El Burro. "Yeah, I'm on my way."

"No." I shrugged. "Not your call, we need all of RUIN for this." Sam sat up frowning. "Why." I grinned grabbing my shirt. "Survival." Austin jumped around a little bit yelling in excitement and Sam just looked...worried. "Sam, I just need to strap up my chest with heavy armor, make sure I take some meds and I'll be fine. I've eaten enough to sustain me and I haven't drank alcohol. I'll be fine."

I went out to the car and looked back at Austin. "Coming?" He nodded and rushed to get in the car. "Are you sure we'll be okay to do this? I mean...you're still really hurt..." I rolled my eyes and shook my head at his fussing. "Shut, up." He held his hands up in defence and stayed quiet the whole way back. "Make yourself useful, call Danny and Rachel, we'll need everyone here."

As we pulled up in the garage Austin stopped me and paused. "I'm sorry for being a jerk and I need to tell you-" Sam cut in, "Grace, everyone's waiting upstairs." I nodded. "Tell me what?" he shook his head. "It doesn't matter." I shrugged. "Okay, come on let's go up." He followed me into the elevator and sighed. "I need to go back to Liberty City in a few weeks..." I looked to him and kind of felt a lil sad. "Oh..." He hugged me lightly and nodded.

"Let's go raise some hell." I grinned and walked into the apartment. "Lads and Ladies, we are going to go and kick some LSPD / Merryweather ASS!" Danny tilted his head slightly. "Question, there's only enough space for a four man team, where do I come into this?" I smirked. "Well we'd be pretty fucked without our air support wouldn't we?"

Sam nodded in agreement. "We know for a fact that they always come in waves, it's to do with tactics or whatever. And a helicopter always arrives around the 4th, 7th and 10th waves; we could use your help." Danny nodded. "I have a helipad at the airport; I can meet you at the survival I time for the 4th wave ok?" I nodded slowly.

"Anyone need snacks or ammo and armour, we head out for 24/7 and Ammunation now." We got in one of the SUV's and went to the nearest store grabbing P&Q's, Meteorite's and eCola. "Right snacks are done, now Ammunation." We went to the ammunition near the docks and I smiled lightly. "Hi Harry." He tilted his cap. "Grace, what can I do ya for?" I pointed out a few things and grabbed 6 super heavy body armour's.

"$4000." I paid in cash and watched the others collect their items. "We good to go?" I got changed in the bathroom and came out to find the others ready to go. "Well we damn well look the part, let's just hope we know how to fucking blow these shitheads up right?" The others cheered and I couldn't help the sinking feeling in my chest, I mean I wasn't at 100% and Rachel and Danny were new to survivals.

"Come on then dudes." I sat in the front with Sam as Austin and Rachel chattered in the back, I grabbed Sam's hand a moment and lowered my head groaning as he frowned. "If you aren't up to thi-" I shook my head. "I'm fine, just worried." He smiled lightly and patted my arm. "We'll be fine Grace." I smiled back, "Thanks To-" My eyes widened as I stopped myself. "Thanks Sammy."

We pulled up at the rail yard and looked around. "We got a few minutes before they get here, pick up anything you can carry and find a decent hiding place." I collected some ammo for my Micro SMG and hid behind a concrete barrier listening out for the dull hum of an engine. "They're here..." I watched out and shot at the first few men that appeared behind Sam.

"MOTHERFUCKERS!" I rolled my eyes and took out a few more people before a car pulled up, I threw a sticky bomb and took it out before anyone could actually get out. "We clear?!" "Clear!" was the replied chorus. "Pick up and move up!" we scrounged through the crates and found a few extra body armour's and ammo. "Places!"

The body count was growing and I noticed Rachel struggling, covering her whilst she ate a few snacks to boost her energy again. "At worst use Brucie's crappy drink!" She nodded and took a shot in the shoulder. I got the guy that shot her and took out a couple of snipers, shaking my head I watched Austin set a trap at the entrance as a couple of cars pulled in and set them off, the cars bouncing lightly as the burst into flames. "Booya!"

The sound of chopper blades overhead made me smile. "AIR SUPPORT'S HERE GUYS!" Danny landed on the roof and I watched as Rachel struggled to move. "Rach, go work the gun in the copter. Spot us from above okay?" She nodded and looked mildly relieved. "No fair how comes she gets to fly?!" I glared at Austin.

"Shut it bomb boy, just set a freaking trap!" I moved up to higher ground pulling up a crate to act as a guard and pulled out my rifle. "Right let's get this show on the road!" We fought our way through the third and fourth waves quite easily, Austin tossing anything he could up to me and setting a web of traps in the process and same moving the un-wrecked cars into strategic positions whilst Danny and Rachel kept watch overhead.

"Incoming!" I ducked down again and kept well hidden, taking out some of the more obvious LSPD members running down the alley. "Sam, on your left!" He turned in time to knock the guy out with his gun, man that was way too close. No way in hell was this gonna go badly; we had the upper hand in this survival. "Grace!" I felt the barrage of bullets hit me and I fell smack on my ass, luckily they all his my armour.

"Grace!" I got up quickly and waved them off. "CARRY ON!" I setup shot again and finished picking off the stragglers. Wave 7 was where it got bad, it wasn't a case of just taking them out but the number of them plus the backup was starting to get overwhelming. Danny was keeping on track through the last few waves until 3 Merryweather Buzzards arrived and it felt like trouble.

"Danny, get Rachel out of here!" He made to pull up as Austin yelled and time froze, I thought they were going to kill me but the way the officers on the ground aimed their RPG's proved that they were more interested in the air support. "DANNY!" the helicopter blowing up took out one of the other copters and since I took out the pilots of the other 2 they had now crashed.

I was shell shocked, maybe they had lived? Or jumped out at last minute? We finished off the survival and I jumped the railing running to the wreck of the helicopter, it felt numb, like this wasn't real, I couldn't lose another crew, not like this, this wasn't happening... "Tell me this isn't real..." Sirens sounded and Austin hoisted me up over his shoulder.

"We need to get out of here!" Sam brought the car around and had the back doors open enough for Austin to throw me in and slide in himself, just about closing the door as Sam sped away. "This cant be right- we cant leave them!" Austin grabbed my wrists and tried to restrain me. "GET A GRIP GRACE! They have families the police will tell them of their demise okay?" I shook my head.

"Danny doesn't have any family that live here just a few cousins abroad..." Austin sighed loosening his grip. "I'll pay for his burial and his flowers...it's the least I owe him." Austin nodded in agreement and held me to him as we drove back to the downtown safe house. "Get some rest boss... I swear it'll be okay..." I shook my head. "No... no, it'll never be okay."

"So you leave soon right...? it'll just be me and Grace again." Austin nodded. "You better take care of her twinkle toes or I swear to go I will kill you no matter what she says, okay?" Sam nodded quickly. "She needs people close to her, she needs him." Austin made sure I was asleep before he admitted. "I met Trevor, he's the crazy fucker up in Sandy Shores."


	20. Finishing Touches

Chapter Twenty

Finishing Touches

Rachel's burial was beautiful. Austin had stuck around for her funeral but couldn't stay any longer for Danny's. Rachel's family had arranged for a beautiful plot up in the cemetery and the flowers were all a mix of dusk pink roses and orange lilies. The mix of flowers from the guests were amazing so I hung back until after everyone was gone, watching the service from afar.

"I'm so sorry Rachel... I should never have taken you into a situation you weren't prepared for..." I place a single blue moon rose down on her grave wrapped in a teal ribbon coupled with a bullet, an honourable RUIN memorial I guess. "You ready to go Gracie?" I nodded and left with Sam sliding into the car on the way to another job.

"You can wait in the car." He growled. "Why do you have to keep pushing people away? You DO have friends you know, right?" I shrugged. "I'm responsible for two VERY nice people's deaths. I can't forgive myself for that Sam." He pulled up at the side of the road and punched my leg. "OW!" he carried on driving. "Lamar was asking after you. He gives a fucking shit about you, same with that Dom guy! Just... don't put yourself in THAT position again Grace, okay?"

I rolled my shoulders and watched the rolling tide on the beach despising Sam's scrutinizing stare. "Stop looking at me like that." He huffed at me and shook his head. "Get out." I blinked confused turning to look at him to find him looking away. "You heard me get out." I frowned and he met my gaze. "You wallow in self pity all you want but I actually RESPECT Danny and Rachel."

Sighing, I got out of the car and I walked across to the beach watching the water roll in and out with the riptide. "I'm sorry you died because of me..." A text came through about Danny's burial and a service when I jogged towards Sam's car. "Change of plans, I gotta finish arranging Danny's service with the priest." He smiled lightly and nodded.

"That's a lil more like it." We drove to the church and I arranged and paid for everything, we sold off some of the properties we didn't need now we weren't operating as a crew and auctioned off the excess vehicles or kept the helpful ones like the seasharks and the helicopters. I relaxed in my chair after a hard day, covered in blood and pretty sure I was bleeding out of more bullet holes than I had first anticipated.

"Ah fuck it, whiskey's better than nothing." A chuckle came from the corner. "You bet your ass it is." Huffing I retrieved a glass for myself. "Shut the fuck up Samuel." He laughed to himself and stretched out on my sofa when he sat down. "Would'a thought you would'a had that nice place over in Tinsel Towers." I bit my lip and checked the ad; it was a nice new place, worth a bit more for my bucks too.

"You know Sam; you've given me an idea." I clicked on the ad and shut my eyes as a nice chunk of cash removed from my bank account. "I just bought it." His eyes widened and he laughed loudly. "Oh man...Jesus Grace you really are crazy." I nodded quite proud of myself, I hoped the view would be as nice as this one, a pretty decent view of the film studios and stretching to see as far at the Ferris Whale lit up at Del Perro Pier.

I rolled my shoulders smiling to myself as they gave a satisfying crunch. My phone rang and I nodded to Sam. "Standby Scorpio." He grabbed his keys and made for the door. "Cerberus." A short cough followed by 'wrong number' sounded. "Wait- Johnny...?" He made a few uncomfortable noises on the end of the line. "Hi Grace..." I smiled to myself. "It's nice to hear from you, how is she?" He sighed.

"Not good...We moved up to Blaine County, Stab City, you heard of it?" I laughed. "You're in LS?!" I shook my head. "You know a place called Yellow Jacks?" He scoffed slightly. "Yeah." I grinned. "Meet ya there in an hour, bring Ash, don't bring Ash, I don't care." He grunted lightly and hung up. "Need ya to drive me Sammy; I have a feeling I'm about to drink my way out of my family's ilk."

I met Johnny for a few drinks; I guess it was nice propping up the bar like the times back in LC, we talked about Ash and her cheating on him for meth when she could. Honestly I felt so bad for the guy; it was so obvious he loved her. "You are such a sucker...but I'm glad she has you to fall back on, she's got her issues and she needs someone there for her." He nodded in agreement. "Everything you've done for us too Grace, it's all helped." I waved him off.

"Nope, she's not clean so it didn't help but at least I made life a little easier for you whilst I could. This is the cut off point though, I've got a transfer for you going through but after that I'm not subsidising her anymore." He nodded in understanding and awkwardly hung there. "You're a good person Grace." I rolled my eyes. "Yeah right, I give up on my failure of a family." He stayed silent and I half hugged him as I left. Danny's funeral was tomorrow after all.

I slept well that night despite the issues, I had a new bed, new clothes, new sheets, it almost felt like another new chapter in my life, the previous ones were just a slight improvement of the last but still better none the less. Arthur was buried at a church in Chapparel, it was a nice place and isolated so I was always free to vent my thoughts to him.

Danny's funeral went off without a hitch, nice oak casket with gold plates, a simple stone engraved with silver, a RUIN memorial and covered with white roses and lilies, he was put to rest in a nice way considering he had no immediate family. "Night Danny..." Sam was off on some missions of his own leaving me to chauffer myself for a while.

"You're a terrible driver boss." I rolled my eyes at Robbie as I leant against eth counter watching him work. "I pay you enough to be a terrible driver though, right?" He slipped me a cheeky grin and got on with his work. "I'll leave ya to it; I'll be upstairs if you need me." he waved me off and got to work fixing up my evil twins as I liked to call them, twin Sabre Turbo's in inverted colours.

I relaxed for a few moments on the sofa, sipping at my drink before my phone rang. "Ughhh, I'm watching TV fucking call back later!" I picked up the phone and yelled. "Hello?!" There was heavy breathing and I huffed. "Fucking talk or I hang up." There was a cough and Lester's voice came across. "Grace I, err, need to talk to you."

I sighed to myself exasperated at the inconvenience of the call. "Less, just, I'm busy, when I'm not I'll let ya know." I tried hard to keep my mind off of Lester's call; I mean it couldn't be TOO important right? There was nothing he couldn't just explain over the phone, oh no wait, he preferred face to face conversations.

Sam persuaded me to go see him at last when I finally managed to get a hold of him and he was quite keen on filling me in on the last few years that I missed out on. "Less, you aren't gonna try and guilt trip me for leaving are you?" He growled slightly. "For the last time Grace, no. now hurry up." I bit my lip and hesitated a lil, I wrung my hand against my chinos and fidgeted on the spot nervously.

"U-umm... maybe tomorrow...Sam needs me today." Sam huffed and snatched the phone away from me. "She's scared Lester. She needs someone from the past right now, and she needs a confirmation that nothing is her fault, I don't want to save her from suicide again." Lester paused and yelled. "Put her back on!" I looked at Sam pleadingly. "No Sam please, please no-!" He pushed the phone closer to me. "Now Grace." I huffed and took it.

"Why did you have to tell him that?!" Sam shrugged his shoulders and thrust the phone in my face. "Talk to him Grace, you need it, talking to Johnny did you some good but this is what you need to do. It's time you found out about it." I pouted slightly. "But I don't want to..." I could hear yelling from the phone. "I'm still here ya know?!" I gulped and lifted the phone to my ear.

"Tomorrow noon, you can even count me to the second and if I don't answer immediately you can chew me out all you want, deal?" he grumbled about making him wait but penultimately agreed that I would meet him tomorrow noon. "Thanks Less, bye..." I looked to Sam and shook my head. "I hate you." He grinned back at me and laughed. "I know Gracie, now beer's on counter, food's in the microwave, eat, don't eat, whatever."

I didn't sleep at all, I think I spent more time staring out the window and chewing my lips than resting, what if it was my fault? What really happened, what had I missed? What if something bad happened to him? what if something great happened to him and he left me behind? I couldn't expect for him to wait for me forever, unless he thought I was dead... that kinda would be a problem... "What happened T...? Did you forget me?"

"In 2004, nine years ago, Michael, Trevor and Brad robbed a bank in Ludendorff. I warned them not to pull the score but they decided to ignore me and go on with it anyway." I grunted lightly. "They decided to be dicks in other words." He shrugged, "Yeah pretty much, ya know." He paused and continued, "Well The North Yankton State Patrol swarm the scene and chase them because the were trying to escape to their pickup helicopter."

It started to make sense, the reaction I got, since Lester had thought I was dead as a doornail, my little escapade was probably gonna reflect bad on me now. "The getaway SUV was hit by a train and ruined, and the trio escaped on foot to their destination. A sniper we found out later was an officer Dave Norton, was hiding around a corner shot Brad and Michael, killing Brad and immobilizing Michael." My jaw dropped.

"B-brad's dead?" He seemed to be a little annoyed at my interruptions. "Oh god..." I covered my mouth and tried to stop the swelling of tears in my eyes. "S-sorry, please- please carry on." He nodded in agreement. "Trevor was forced to fend off the rest of the police himself, and ran away from some armed pursuing locals." I stopped him dead in his tracks. "So... you really don't know what happened to him?" he shook his head slowly.

"A funeral for Michael was planned, he was buried in Ludendorff cemetery if you're interested, then I'm here, you're here and that's the end of that." I shook my head in disbelief at the statement. "What about Amanda, the kids?" He shrugged. "I really fucked up didn't I? I never should have left I should've bit my tongue and dealt with my parents and stayed to at least-" he cut in, "You couldn't have done anything."

I paused as I looked him in the eyes, and swallowed lightly. "I need to know Less...what happened? What happened to him?" He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I was waiting for this..." A loud buzzing noise interrupted and he checked his monitor. "Can you answer the door?" I nodded lightly as I stood. I swung open Lester's door and froze staring at the guy before me as he stared back just as surprised. "Michael?"


	21. Old Friends

Chapter Twenty One

Old Friends

I pulled up outside the familiar trailer and took a deep inhale of breath, "You can do this Grace... just go up to the door and open it. Go." My hands were locked on the steering wheel and for a moment I felt like I was a teen again, gearing myself up for a beating from my parents or being scolded for basically nothing.

A few feet away could be the man who saved me from all of that and I was too much of a pussy to just open the god damned door and see if it really was him. "You were the leader of RUIN and you are the daughter of Arthur Moore, get a fucking grip girly!" I opened the door slowly and stepped out.

I was actually shaking, excited? A lil. Scared? Try fucking petrified... Nine years he'd been gone from North Yankton and even longer since I'd last set eyes on him, up and left him in the middle of the night. He probably thought I'd abandoned him and then- no. no, no, no.

"That's it Gracie, nice and slow." The movement from inside spooked me and I cursed myself internally. "Get a fucking grip Grace!" I went up to the door and took a deep breath hearing the ruckus from within. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, no fuck." I whispered to myself and raised my hand to open the door taking a breath.

"Rooooooon!"

To Be Continued . . .


End file.
